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Complete Forecast for  Jul 19 2008

By JOE BUIE
Staff Writer

The seven teams that traveled thousands of miles to Texas for the NJCAA Division III World Series should feel no disrespect.

However, that eighth team - Richland College - should be considered the favorite to win the tournament.

The three-time national champion Thunderducks will begin their quest for a fourth title when they take on Manchester (Conn.) Community College today at 4 p.m. in a first-round game at Mike Carter Field.

The state of Texas has a long history of success in college baseball, and it is no different in Division III junior college.

In the 15-year history of the Division III World Series, a Texas team has either won the tournament or finished second 11 times.

Richland was the national runner-up in 1999 and 2000 before winning three straight from 2002-04.

The Thunderducks finished fifth the next year - still a sore subject for head coach Joe Wharton.

"We had some player issues that I had to deal with," Wharton said. "We got fifth because ... let's just say my best team wasn't on the field. We won the first game and then lost two straight. I had three pitchers playing in the outfield."

Wharton said he had to suspend six position starters and two starting pitchers for two games, and Richland lost both.

It's an especially sore subject because it cost Richland a chance at making history.

"We could have become the only school besides USC (1970-74) to win more than three times in a row," Wharton said. "No other team at any level has won more than three in a row and that was our chance to win four (straight)."

Richland's six previous World Series appearances came in New York State. Now the Thunderducks (38-21) get to play just 100 miles from home after knocking off 2007 champion Tyler Junior College in the playoffs.

So, any chance Richland will pick up support from Tyler fans during what the Thunderducks hope are five days of baseball in the Rose City?

"We'll just have to see what happens," Wharton said. "I've read and heard how Tyler thinks we have a big rivalry with them and it started with the fight in 2006, which was a bad deal for both teams. We've been real competitive with each other the last three years.

"It would be nice to have support from the local community, but that's like asking if New York Yankees fans are going to go to Boston and root for Boston. Being from Texas, hopefully the fans of Tyler will have an appreciation for our competitiveness and how us and Tyler play. It would be great to have them behind us ... we have a good fan base coming from Dallas."

Wharton says this year's team is known for its potent offense, which has five players hitting over .400.

Sophomore first baseman Travis Latz, the Metro Athletic Conference MVP, is currently batting .431 with 18 home runs and 80 RBIs.

Sophomore first baseman Jon Masch is hitting .410 with 19 homers and 88 RBIs. Other members of the .400 club are shortstop Robert Barbosa (.420), third baseman Josh Christenson (.418) and outfielder Justin Keithley (.402). All but Keithley made first-team all-conference.

The Thunderducks play in a smaller park than Mike Carter, but they can definitely mash the ball. They have an astonishing 105 home runs on the season, including nine in three playoff games last weekend in McKinney.

"We've got a good offensive club and our pitching is our weakness, but they stepped it up (at the district tournament)," Wharton said.

Right-hander Phillip Clinard, a freshman from Rockwall, was the Pitcher of the Year in the conference. He leads the Richland staff with 10 wins, eight complete games, a 2.89 ERA and 94 strikeouts.

Clinard (10-1) is slated to start today's game. Sunday's starter will be right-hander Landon Patterson (9-4), who pitched a complete game in the win over TJC last weekend.

"We've got a good team and I feel real confident in what we're able to put on the field and off," said Wharton, whose team is in the opposite bracket from fellow Division III powers Gloucester (N.Y.) and Joliet (Ill.). "We've got a real good group of guys. With a double-elimination tournament - the best team should get through, but baseball is a funny game.

"There are no guarantees."

Notes: Joliet, last year's runner-up, plays today at noon against Montgomery College of Germantown, Md. Suffolk County, from Brentwood, N.Y., and Gloucester play the first game at 9 a.m. ... Hudson Valley, from Troy, N.Y., and Ridgewater, from Willmar, Minn., meet at 7 p.m. ... There will be two winner's bracket semifinal games on Sunday and two loser's bracket elimination games. ... Tournament passes are $20 (adults only). Daily ticket prices are $5 for adults, $3 for students with ID, and $2 for children 9-14. Eight-and-under, or Little League players in uniform, will have free admission.