Baseball Coach Andy Morgan

NTCC Baseball Takes the Field and Sweeps Opponent

The Northeast Texas Community College’s Baseball team finally got on the field after a few weather-related cancellations on Sunday afternoon, traveling to Mena, Arkansas, to take on Arkansas Rich Mountain Community College. The Eagles picked up two big wins to open the season, taking down Rich Mountain 8-4 in Game 1 and 12-2 in Game 2.

After falling behind 1-0 after two innings, the Eagle’s offense got going in the third inning, scoring three runs in the third and three runs in the fourth to jump ahead 6-1.

Si Schumacher (Carthage, TX) got things going with a single in the top of the third and Carson Lorch (Cypress, TX) followed Schumacher up with a single, and Sophomore Raef Wright (Burleson, TX) would single with one out to load the bases. Seth Cox (Fairview, TX) would start his big day with a double to plate the first Eagle runs. Cox would go three for three with five RBIs in game one. 

Nathan Harmon (Highland Village, TX) aided the Eagle’s three runs in the fourth inning, who started the inning off with a single, Lorch getting on base with a walk. Connor Chavez (Lantana, TX) doubled to score Harmon and Lorch, and then he could score on the double by Cox.

After the Eagles added another run in the top of the fifth to increase the lead to 7-1, the Bucks of Rich Mountain would get on the board again in the fifth with two runs to cut the lead to 7-3 after five innings of play. Both teams would add a run in the sixth inning to bring the final score of NTCC 8 and Rich Mountain 4.

On the mound for the Eagles in Game 1 were Austin Burda (Mansfield, TX), Mason Kosowick (Fort Worth, TX), Dalton Hill (Minden, LA), and George Austin (Dallas, TX). The Eagle pitching staff held the Bucks to four runs on nine hits, with eight strikeouts and just one walk.

In Game 2, NTCC jumped out early with five runs in the top of the first inning and never looked back. Austin Rogers (Prosper, TX) would lead the Eagle’s offensive efforts in Game 2, going three for five with six RBIs and scoring three times himself.

The Eagles would be patient at the plate and earned eleven walks in the game to go along with seven timely hits. The plate discipline paid off, and the Eagles added a run in the fourth to increase the lead to 6-0. 

Rogers would hit his first of two home runs in the game in the sixth inning to push the Eagle lead to 7-0.

Rich Mountain would score once in the bottom of the sixth and once in the bottom of the seventh to bring the game to 7-2, but that would be all the runs they would get.

A big ninth inning by NTCC matched the first inning scoring five more runs in the ninth. Rogers would hit home run number two, a grand slam to cap off a great game and bring the Eagles back to Mount Pleasant with a 12-2 win.

Seven Eagles would spend time on the mound in the early season game, gaining valuable experience for conference play. Kevin Schoneboom (Mansfield, TX) led the way with three innings, giving up no runs on two hits and four strikeouts. The NTCC Staff would fan fourteen batters in game two and allowed a combined five hits.

NTCC will be on the road against Centenary College on Tuesday, February 7. The first home games of the season will be on Friday, February 10, when the Eagles host Cowley Community College from Kansas in a weekend series. Friday’s games are a planned doubleheader beginning at 2:00 pm and one game at noon on Saturday.

Braylynn Henderson | Hannah Boettcher

Eagle Softball Earns Sweep at Arkansas Rich Mountain

The Northeast Texas Community College’s Softball team finally got to take the field Sunday but had to do so on the road due to wet field conditions at NTCC. The Eagles picked up their first season wins to start 2-0 after defeating Arkansas Rich Mountain 10-0 and 8-7.

Freshmen pitcher Braylynn Henderson (West Columbia, TX) once again shined in the circle with a two-hit, nine strikeouts, complete game shutout in game one.

Sophomore Haley McAlexander (New Boston, TX) led the Eagles’ offense by going two for three with two runs scored in game one. Sophomore Hannah Boettcher (Valley Mills, TX) went one for one (home run), and two walks and two runs scored. Freshmen Giselle Fuentes (Lacissine, LA) also got off to a great start reaching base safely in all three at-bats and scoring two twice.

NTCC would score five runs in the second inning after Boettcher led off the inning with a solo home run. They would again put up a five spot in the third inning to put the game away with a 10-0 lead. The Eagles were patient at the plate five walks to go along with eight timely hits in Game 1.

In Game 2 action, the Eagles bats stayed hot and pulled off the 8-7 win when Boettcher hit her second home run of the day in the top of the seventh with a runner on base and two outs. She would go four for four with a double and the home run in Game 2. 

Fellow sophomore and hometown girl Carson Zachry (Mount Pleasant, TX) would get her first home run of the season as an Eagle in the fifth inning to help pace the offense in Game 2. Freshmen Autumn Bias (Cleburne, TX) was two for four with two Runs Batted In in Game 2. 

Game 2 was back and forth for NTCC and Rich Mountain, as the Eagles got on the board in the second inning, taking a 2-0 lead. However, Rich Mountain answered in the third with three runs to move ahead 3-2. NTCC would tie things in the fourth inning when Bias scored for NTCC. The Eagles pushed the lead to 6-3 in the sixth inning, but that lead would be short-lived as Rich Mountain scored four runs in their half of the sixth to go ahead 7-6.

Boettcher would get her hero moment in the top of the seventh with two outs, and Lilly Galaviz (Denton, TX) would reach on a fielder’s choice. Then, Hannah would blast her second home run of the day to put the Eagles ahead for good, 8-7.

The Eagles will be on the road on February 8 as they travel to Weatherford Junior College before finally getting to have the home opener on Friday, February 10, vs. Angelina College at 2:00 pm.

Makenzie Mayes

NTCC Rodeo Shines at First Spring Rodeo

The Northeast Texas Community College’s Rodeo team made the short trip to Sulphur Springs for the first National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA) Southern Region Rodeo hosted by Texas A&M University-Commerce February 3-4.

The Eagles had a significant representation in the finals Saturday night, with the Women’s Team placing third and Makenzie Mayes (Scroggins, TX) coming away with the Women’s All-Around Champion Award.

Makenzie competed in both the Ladies Breakaway and Barrels bringing home a fourth-place finish in Breakaway and seventh place in Barrels to get home points and help the lady’s team capture third place overall.

Mayes is sitting in second place in the Southern Region in Ladies Breakaway Roping with four Rodeos remaining in hopes of qualifying for the College National Finals Rodeo this summer in Casper, Wyoming, and joining Mayes in the Ladies Breakaway finals Saturday night for the NTCC Women’s team, where Jill White (Singer, LA) and Chancey Wright (Arcadia, FL).

For the Men’s team, Brennen Wilson (Gilmer, TX) in the Tie-down Roping, Kent Sheldon (Hanford, CA) in Saddle Bronc, Josh Stephenson (Carthage, TX), and Garrett Fields (Quitman, TX) in Steerwrestling represented the Eagles.

The Men’s and Women’s teams will compete on March 10-11 at the Texas A&M University Rodeo in College Station for the next Rodeo on the Southern Region Circuit.

NTCC competes in the Southern region of the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association with Hill College, McNeese State University, Panola College, Sam Houston State University, Southwest Texas Junior College, Stephen F. Austin University, Texas A&M University, Texas A&M University-Commerce, Trinity Valley Community College, and Wharton County Junior College. In addition, the Eagles will compete in ten College Rodeos to qualify for the College National Finals Rodeo.

The College National Finals Rodeo is in Casper, Wyoming, each summer. The CNFR is the best of the best in college rodeo. It is where the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association crowns individual event champions in saddle bronc riding, bareback riding, bull riding, tie-down roping, steer wrestling, team roping, barrel racing, breakaway roping, and goat tying.

They award men’s and women’s team’s national team championships. Over 400 cowboys and cowgirls from over 100 universities and colleges compete yearly in Casper. Contestants compete all year in one of the NIRA’s 11 regions for a chance to rope or ride at the CNFR.