Rascals Infielder Heads to College World Series

How does River City Golden Flashes sound?    

For this weekend at least, the Rascals organization will be keeping a watchful eye on the NCAA College World Series in Omaha as one of their own realizes the dream of a lifetime.    

River City Rascals second baseman Doug Sanders, who also serves as the first-base coach for the Kent State University baseball team in the off-season, will be patrolling TD Ameritrade Park in downtown Omaha this weekend instead of T.R. Hughes Ballpark in O'Fallon.

The Cinderella Golden Flashes have taken the nation by storm with their improbable run to the double-elimination CWS, which begins Friday and runs through June 27.    

Sanders, a three-year River City veteran and one of its most popular athletes, has played a key role in the Golden Flashes amazing success.    

The 26-year-old Sanders, in his third season as a volunteer coach, handles the first base chores as well as instructing the infielders. He also helps out as a hitting instructor.    

Kent State (46-18) came from out of nowhere to upset fifth-ranked Oregon in a best-of-three Super Regional last weekend in Eugene. The Golden Flashes won the deciding game 3-2 on a bloop single to left field in the bottom of the ninth inning to secure the school's first ever trip to the World Series.   

Sanders was right there in the coaching box and quickly jumped into a team dogpile celebration near the pitcher's mound,.   

"It was an incredible feeling, something I will never forget," Sanders said. The Flashes' exploits have been televised on ESPN2, giving friends and teammates in O'Fallon a closeup view of this amazing tale.   

Sanders has heard from, "at least a half dozen," teammates this week and realizes that he is the envy of Rascal Nation. Few players or coaches ever reach the coveted CWS.   

"It's a dream and you never know that it's possible and then when it really happens, you don't even know how you should feel," Sanders said. "Slowly but surely, it's been sinking in. I probably won't actually understand what I'm feeling until this is all over."     

Thanks to Sanders and Rascals manager Steve Brook, the River City squad has always had a Kent State flavor. Current outfielder Jason Patton and pitcher Justin Gill played for Kent State as did Sanders. At one time in pre-season practice in April, there were six former Kent State players at the Rascals' tryout camp.    

Patton, who played at Kent State from 2006-09, has been following his former school closely over the past few weeks starting with a three-game blitz in the Gary, Indiana Regional. Patton and Sanders are close friends and Sanders will serve in Patton's wedding later this summer.     

The two have been teammates in college and in the Frontier League. Patton says his heart still remains in Kent, Ohio. He nervously watched the Golden Flashes last weekend and let out a scream when they finished off Oregon.   

"It almost brought tears to my eyes," Patton said. "It's a great feeling watching your friends and former teammates do something like this."    

River City bench coach Caleb Curry, who also played with Sanders in O'Fallon, says the entire River City team is wrapped up in Golden Flashes mania.    

"This is every kid's dream and when you see it happen to a friend, it makes it feel a little like it's happening to you," Curry said. "It's pretty awesome and it couldn't happen to a better person."   

The well-liked Sanders hit .264 for River City last season with five homers and 41 RBI. He made only five errors at second, the lowest total in the league. Sanders, who batted .377 in his last season at Kent State in 2008, has spent the last three years coaching at his former school and usually doesn't miss much of the Frontier League campaign.   

But Sanders is currently on a much-envied excused absence, which he hopes will last until the end of the month. He says coaching could be his eventual career choice - but playing the game remains his first love.   

"I can't wait to get back there," he says. "But I'm going to enjoy every minute of this first."   

Kent State will take on Arkansas in the first-round of the double-elimination affair Saturday at 4 p.m. The contest should end about the same time the Rascals will be taking the field for a contest against the Joliet Slammers at T.R. Hughes.