Texas Collegiate League

The 2005 Texas Collegiate League Playoffs begin on Monday night with games at Denton and Coppell.

The best of three Hornsby Division Playoff Series between the first place Denton Outlaws and second place Weatherford Wranglers opens at Denton’s Ballpark on Bonnie Brae at 7:35 p.m. on Monday. A pair of pitchers from Rice University will square off in that game with Denton’s Eddie Degerman starting against Weatherford’s Bobby Bell.

Game Two will take place on Tuesday, August 2 at Roger Williams Ballpark in Weatherford at 7:05 p.m. If necessary, a third game would be played in Denton on Wednesday night, August 3.

The Tris Speaker Division Playoff Series begins on Monday at 7:35 p.m. at Copperhead Field in Coppell. The first place and defending league champions Coppell Copperheads, who will finish the 2005 regular season with the TCL’s top overall record, will host either the McKinney Marshals or Euless LoneStars in that series.

Entering Sunday’s regular season finale, McKinney (27-20) leads Euless (26-21) by one game. The Marshals host Highland Park, and the LoneStars play at Coppell. If the teams finish with identical 27-21 records, Euless will advance to the playoffs by virtue of a 5-3 record versus McKinney this season.

Game Two of the Speaker Division Series will be played on Tuesday night in either Euless or McKinney with a third game if necessary taking place on Wednesday evening in Coppell.

The best of three Texas Collegiate League Championship Series begins on Friday, August 5.

Playoff tickets and information can be obtained by call the Coppell Copperheads at 972-745-2929; the Denton Outlaws at 940-465-0845; and the Weatherford Wranglers at 817-771-8882.

The 2005 TCL Division Playoff Schedule with probable pitchers:

ROGERS HORNSBY DIVISION: DENTON (1ST) vs. WEATHERFORD (2nd)
Monday, August 1—Weatherford (Bobby Bell) at Denton (Eddie Degerman), The Ballpark at Bonnie Brae………7:35 p.m.
Tuesday, August 2—Denton (Corey Kluber) at Weatherford (Shea Hancock), Roger Williams Ballpark…………..7:05 p.m.
Wednesday, August 3—Weatherford (Colt Hynes) at Denton (Blake Kronkosky), The Ballpark at Bonnie Brae....7:35 p.m.*

TRIS SPEAKER DIVISION: COPPELL (1st) vs. EULESS or McKINNEY (2nd)
Monday, August 1—TBA at Coppell (Jacob Ramos), Copperhead Field...7:35 p.m.
Tuesday, August 2—Coppell (Aaron Brown) at TBA, Parks at Texas Star, Euless or Gabe Nesbitt Field, McKinney…………………………………7:35 p.m.
Wednesday, August 3—TBA at Coppell, Copperhead Field…...7:35 p.m.*

*If Necessary

TCL NOTES: Denton C Josh Banda enters Sunday with a .421 batting average, 3 points better than 2004 TCL high of .418 set by Colleyville-Grapevine’s Erik Lis…Denton 1B Andrew Brown had a homer and 3 rbi on Saturday to give him 12 homers and 38 rbi, tying Mineral Wells’ Ben Burum for the TCL lead in both departments.