Oran continues long title quest

By Toby Carrig ~ Southeast Missourian

Matt Seyer has made a lot of trips to Columbia, Mo., thanks to Oran baseball.

He watched his older brother, Philip, play on state tournament teams in 1998 and '99.

"It made me want to go up there and experience what he experienced," Matt Seyer said.

Sure enough, Matt, a senior, was a starter for the Oran teams which made it to state in 2002 and '03.

But in all those trips -- and two others, in 1980 and '81 -- there's been something missing.

"The fact that no team has won a state title always sticks out," Matt Seyer said.

He gets one more crack at it this week.

Oran (22-3) plays Bevier (15-1) in a Class 1 semifinal game 11 a.m. today at Taylor Stadium on the campus of the University of Missouri-Columbia. Sparta (20-0) and Archie (16-4) play in the semifinal that follows at 2 p.m.

The championship is 5 p.m. Wednesday; a third-place game precedes it at 11 a.m.

Oran finished second in the state last year, falling to Sparta in the championship game.

With plenty of departed players from last year's squad, including Matt Seyer's cousin, Nathan, this year's Oran team was not expected to maintain the state tournament string.

"This is more surprising," Matt Seyer said. "I hadn't expected anything like they've done. I'm real pleased. I think we're definitely a good team, one of the best teams in the state, and that's why we're going up there."

Matt Seyer is one of just four seniors on the squad, along with center fielder Garrett Roslen, right fielder Dustin Eftink and designated hitter Brent Graviett. A big lift has come from players who will dot the lineup down the road -- junior infielder Trevor Irwin; sophomores Joey Williams, Paul Bucher and Austin Dumey; and freshman Chase Seyer, who is Matt's cousin and Nathan's younger brother.

"I thought things were going to turn out pretty good," Chase Seyer said, "but I didn't expect it to be this good.

"We don't have as many power hitters as last year's team. We know that and we just try to get basehits."

Oran has been able to manufacture runs pretty well -- scoring nine in the Class 1 quarterfinal game against Thayer with just one extra basehit. The Eagles have demonstrated patience at the plate, drawing seven walks against Thayer along with three hit batsmen.

Oran has the other championship ingredients: pitching and defense. The Eagles made one error against Thayer and have just two in their last three games. The middle infield combination of Bucher and Dumey have turned as many double plays in that span.

The Seyers have provided the postseason pitching.

Matt has carried the load for the season with an 8-2 record and a 1.69 earned run average in 58 innings. He picked up the district title win against Advance and the sectional win against North Pemiscot.

"This has really been my first year of pitching on the high school level," Matt Seyer said. "I'd pitched in summer ball."

Chase, a left-hander who plays first base when he's not pitching, has been an impact freshman with a perfect 6-0 record and a 1.73 ERA. He pitched a five-inning one-hitter in the district semifinals against Bell City and closed out the sectional contest.

After Matt Seyer ran into trouble against Thayer, Chase pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings as Oran rallied for the 9-8 quarterfinal win.

"The playoffs are a little different," Chase said. "There's more pressure but not much. It just kind of pumps me up when we get in those situations, and I try to throw even harder."

Due to their age difference, the Seyer cousins are playing on a team for the first time. They'd like that combination to lead to another first for Oran: a state title.

"I'm a little nervous," Chase said, "but I think it's going to be really fun."

"Whatever it takes, we'll keep fighting," Matt Seyer said. "We just have to be the team that makes fewer mistakes."