Temple’s second chance comes out of left field

The Temple College baseball season was in the books. Coach and former Atlanta Braves pitcher Craig McMurtry even had exit interviews planned with his players.

But, as they say in baseball, it ain’t over till it’s over. Out of left field, McMurtry received a call: Tell your players to pack their bats. This third-place team from Texas had earned an improbable spot in the Junior College World Series.

A benches-clearing scuffle between two teams in the regional final led to both being disqualified. McMurtry’s squad was next in line.

“It’s very unfortunate the situation happened,” said McMurtry, whose team will represent the Southwestern Division and open Saturday against Southern Idaho in Grand Junction, Colo. “Hopefully the mindset these guys have is trying to prove that we’re capable — not because of how we got into the tournament but just because of who we are.”

His team was eliminated from the Region V tournament after losing 9-4 to Cisco College on May 13 and then 10-2 to McLennan Community College the next day. That closed the door on a 35-23 season until the incident in the Cisco-McLennan game.

The Leopards join some elite company in Grand Junction, including defending champion Chipola College from Florida. There’s also San Jacinto-North, whose coach, Tom Arrington, was inducted into the Hall of Fame this year.