The Rock Creek Mustangs are just three wins away from putting an exclamation point on their baseball season. The Mustangs knocked off Labette, 10-0, and Ottawa, 3-2, to earn a 4A regional win on Tuesday.
“Unbelievably proud of our kids’ resilience,” head coach Shane Sieben said. “All year long they’ve answered every challenge. We have a great group of kids.”
Cooper Sieben fired a gem in a 10-0 win over Labette County on Tuesday at Rock Creek. Later in the evening, Daegen Vinduska snared his school-record 20th career victory, and freshman reliever Brock Lubbers mopped up for another save in a 3-2 regional championship decision over Ottawa.
“It feels great to be back,” Ryker Zoeller said. “Not many teams get this opportunity and it’s great to be a part of a program that does.”
It is Rock’s ninth state tournament appearance in the last 10 years. State begins next week at Salina’s Dean Evans Stadium.
“We’re all feeling really confident and ready for the challenge ahead,” Cooper Sieben said. “We think we can play with anybody. We all gained an even bigger confidence boost after winning both games tonight. We feel we’re playing at some of our best performance right now.”
Cooper Sieben pitched a two-hit shutout in which he struck out seven and walked none as he improved to 7-0 on the season.
“I was locked in all day, excited to get out there in a big game,” Cooper Sieben said of his 60-pitch outing. “From the very first pitch, I knew I was feeling good. And the defense was really good when given opportunities.”
“Cooper was absolutely lights out,” catcher Drew Becker said. “Didn’t give up free passes and made Labette work for what they got.”
Zoeller punched out two hits, scored two runs and drove in two others for the 25-1 and No. 1-ranked Mustangs. Becker collected two hits and had an RBI and Casey McCarn ripped a pair of hits with two RBI and a run scored. Lubbers contributed two RBI.
Vinduska scattered seven hits over five innings and hiked his season record to 8-0 in the title game.
“Daegen and Cooper are not throwers, they are pitchers. Their stuff is phenomenal, they can locate,” Lubbers said. “Both of them have a strong presence when either of them are on the mound that you can feel from the dugout.”
Lubbers, who’s become Mr Reliable, recorded his seventh save in seven tries as he extended his shutout innings streak to 32.
“It really is crazy to think about, but I love being able to help the team succeed,” Lubbers said of his seven saves.
Donavan Debita led the Mustangs with two hits, an RBI and a run scored. Becker’s RBI double proved to be the game-winner and Kade Welfringer went 1-for-1 with a run.
“It felt amazing, one of the best hit balls I’ve ever had and the way the kid had been throwing made it even better,” Debita said.
Now the focus shifts to state, where the Mustangs are hungry for their first state title since 2021.
“I’m just unbelievably proud of them and the entire team. We pitched great and the defense made play after play,” Shane Sieben said.
“I’m just letting them enjoy the moment.”
