Sergio Slams Eastfield into NJCAA World Series

The Harvester Bees are Serging into Tennessee.

Sergio Gastelum belted three home runs as No. 1-ranked Dallas College Eastfield powered its way to a 13-7 win over Dallas College Brookhaven in the National Junior College Athletic Association Division III South Central District championship Saturday. The district title sends Eastfield on to the NJCAA Division III World Series May 23-28 in Johnson City, Tennessee.

Gastelum went 4 for 5 with a season-high eight runs batted in an absolute highlight reel performance.

"It was incredible," outgoing Eastfield 25-year head coach Michael Martin said. "Hitting behind (Sebastian) Palma, he's going to get a lot of opportunities. He's just a formidable hitter, as Palma is, and that's why he's in the spot that he's in – to give him a little protection, and make it hurt when people try to pitch around Palma."

Gastelum gassed up Eastfield's offense with a two-run homer to center in the first inning, a two-run shot to left in the seventh after Brookhaven (26-29) tied the game at 5 and the game-clinching grand slam in the eighth. It was his second multi-homer game of the season, and his fourth of the postseason to bring his season total to 13 on a team that leads the country with 87.

"It was all confidence," Gastelum said. "I was so locked in. I didn't care which pitch it was."

Gastelum's grand slam was his fourth hit of the game, matching center fielder Luke Sasser, who went 4 for 5 with two RBI and a stolen base. Keydren Majors had three of the Harvesters' 16 hits, and Angel Gutierrez collected two.

"You got to kind of pick your poison," Martin said. "Sometimes it works for you, and sometimes it doesn't. It worked for the Bees today."

Brookhaven tied the game with four runs in the top of the seventh, using a two-run single by Payton Stephenson, an RBI double by Nash Nichols and Brett Petillo's sacrifice fly to make it 5-5. Eastfield closer Turner Corey, who entered the game second in the country with six saves, came on in the seventh, and got a big strikeout to end the inning. He struck out five hitters, while giving up two runs on five hits and two walks to improve to 4-0.

Eastfield starter Traelyn James went six innings, giving up two hits, a run and a walk, and fanned seven in a set-the-tone performance as his offense gave him a lead.

Corey entered in a save situation, but settled for a win as the game shifted late after the Bears' bats got going.

"He's done a good job for us all year long in that role," Martin said. "We did bring him in a little bit sooner than we expected to. I'm not sure he had his best stuff today, but he battled through it. We knew what we were going to get. He was going to go out there and compete."

Nichols added a two-run triple in the eighth to tie the game at 7 before Gastelum delivered the knockout blow. Palma was put on first base to load the bases after Billy Spratt walked, Jacob Sivak had a bunt single and Gutierrez picked up one of his two hits. Sasser's RBI groundout scored a run before Palma was issued the free pass.

"When I saw they walked Palma before me, that gave me more of a boost and more confidence, like, 'You don't want to pitch him. You want to pitch me,'" Gastelum said. "I was ready for it."

It was Martin's final game at Eastfield as he's stepping into an administrative role at Dallas College, hanging up the jersey and ball cap as a district champ once again.

"It makes it special," he said. "I've had a really good time here at Eastfield. I've been supported by our administration and all the people, my coaches and players that have come through this program. It's been awesome. It's been a great experience, a fun ride, and to go out in this situation, yeah it just means that much more."