Former Dos Pueblos batterymates Dan Martony and James McCann had the opportunity to face each other this season when Oral Roberts played Arkansas in a nonconference game this season.
Martony was on the mound for Oral Roberts and the bases were loaded with one out when Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn summond McCann to pinch-hit. McCann is the Razorbacks’ regular catcher but was given the night off in the mid-week game.
“Mary and I were going crazy, because obviously we want Dan to get James out, but at the same time James is like a son to us also,” said Dan’s father, John Martony, in an email. “We always root for all of Dan’s teammates and former teammates, but this was excrutiating.”
The former Chargers, both collegiate sophomores, battled for a 12-pitch at-bat until Martony got McCann to ground out to third base to end the inning.
“Both kids said they had a laugh about it after the game,” John Martony reported. “They talk to each other still almost every day, so I’m sure they’ll live with the result one way or another.
“… What are the odds they have to face each other with bases loaded and two outs? I almost had a coronary on that one,” he added.
Martony and McCann are both playing in the NCAA Regionals, which start Friday.
Martony’s ORU team is in Dallas to play in the TCU Regional with TCU, Oklahoma and Dallas Baptist.
Martony helped ORU win the Summit League title NCAA berth. He was the winning pitcher in the championship game against South Dakota State.
Martony came in with the score tied 4-4 in the top of the 11th, bases loaded, nobody out. He faced their 2-3-4 hitters, and got a shallow fly ball to center and then struck out the last two batters. ORU won it in the bottom of the inning.
Martony is now 4-0 on the season with one save and 1.93 ERA.
McCann and Arkansas are in Tempe for the Arizona State Regional. The Razorbacks open against North Carolina-Charlotte on Friday.
McCann is the second-leading hitter on Arkansas with an average of .309. He has 13 doubles and six home runs.
PERRY IN NCAA GOLF: Northwestern freshman Jack Perry is playing in the NCAA Division 1 Golf Championship with the Wildcats at Karsten Creek Golf Club in Stillwater, Okla. He finished tied for 94th, shooting (74-77-49) 14-over 230.
Last year at this time Perry was helping Santa Barbara High win the CIF State golf title.
Northwestern finished 22nd.
Arkansas was in the regional but they were eliminated yesterday.