Newton Citizen

CANTON - Eastside's win over Class AAA No. 4 ranked Creekview was a total team effort as they advanced to the second round of the baseball playoffs with their 8-6 win in eight innings on Saturday.

"It was a complete and total team effort from top to bottom. In fact, in the three--game series, every single one of our players stepped on the field at some point," Eagles coach Michael Poor said. "So everybody helped win that series."

Tim Roton started the third game before Bobby Coggins, who pitched in Game 1, came in to finish the game on the mound.

Even though the Eagles did not start the season strong, they finally seem to be putting everything in order giving themselves the chance to win.

"We did the things we've been doing all year. We were just real consistent with the way we were playing," Poor said. "We just continued to hit and put the ball in play. We took advantage of our bunting ability. We squeezed home a run to tie up the game late and we just played baseball the way we're capable of playing finally."

Picking up hits in Game 3 were Roton, Coggins, Jake Casteel, Git Aiken, Seth Allen and Jerome Ivey, Will Gayler and Jake Gresham.

"Everyone was hitting. Jake picked up a pair of hits, including a triple in the eighth inning to lead us off. Git picked up hits in the seventh and eighth inning and scored on both of those appearances. Allen picked up a pair of hits, including one in the seventh. Timbo ended up with a sacrifice fly and a single. He was on base three out of five times. Jerome Ivey was 2-for-2. Bobby Coggins singled and executed a squeeze bunt on the play to tie it up. Will Gayler picked up a hit and an RBI. Jake Gresham picked up a hit and Travis Marks tore it up in games one and two," Poor said.

Eastside will try to make it to the quarterfinals as it plays St. Pius at 3 p.m. on Wednesday.