By Devin Hasson

McKINNEY—The Texas Nationals Team (TNT) was efficient in all areas of the game on Friday, as it eased to an 8-0 run-rule victory over the North Texas Storm in the pool play opener at the 2009 Elite Travel Classic Texas Regional at Craig’s Ranch in McKinney.

The Nationals have been impressive in recent months, compiling a 40-5 record since the fall, and they are hoping to build on that mark as the weekend continues.
“We’d really like to win both of our pool games and get a high seed to get that bye,” Texas Nationals Team coach Pat Primavera said. “We’ve got our two big pitchers throwing tomorrow so hopefully they can give us what the guys gave us tonight.”
Those “guys” were Evan Samoff and Terrence Spurlin, who combined to allow just two hits in a five-inning shutout.

Samoff gave up a single to the second hitter he faced and then set down the next eight batters he faced, the last five of which came on strikeouts.
Spurlin retired the side in order in the fourth inning, but ran into a bit of trouble in the fifth when the Storm mounted their lone rally. Aaron Stramel doubled and Jacob Palisch walked. A base-running miscue cost the Storm an out at third, but walks to Jordan Blackmon and Bradley Anderson loaded the bases with two outs.
That would be all Spurlin would allow, though, as he fanned the next hitter to escape the jam.

“They both threw strikes and worked the ball around well,” Primavera said. “They got ahead of the hitters and did not throw anything down the middle of the plate, they hit their spots and then the defense did the job behind them.”
The TNT offense got off to a quick start in the bottom of the first, as Spurlin singled, James Primavera walked and Josh Lamb had a RBI single. Primavera would come around to score on an error to make it 2-0 but Storm starter Michael Schottner was able to escape without any further damage.

The game settled into a pitcher’s dual until the bottom of the fourth, when the Nationals were able to break it open.
Lamb singled, stole second and scored on a base hit by Samoff. Zach La Canfora drew a walk and after a pitching change, Steven Sheffield drove in a run with an infield single to make it 4-0. Another run scored on a wild pitch and Tyler Davis doubled home a run to open a 6-0 lead.

After thwarting the Storm rally in the top of the fifth, the Nationals put the game away in the bottom of the frame. Spurlin doubled off the wall in left-center and Primavera followed with a shot to the fence in center to drive in a run. Lamb then hammered a RBI single to left to make it 8-0 and invoke the run rule.

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