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Coyotes battle back, but fall in 11th Cerro Coso will try to get even in Saturday twinbill

By Nathan Ahle, The Daily Independent

"We got timely hitting, and we just battled."

The first-place San Bernardino Valley College Wolverines came to the Dawg Yard Thursday afternoon, ready to face a 5-1 Cerro Coso Coyote team trying to recover from its first Foothill Conference defeat.

The two teams battled late into the evening, with the Coyotes battling back from large deficits, but the Wolverines were able to push across a pair of runs in the 11th inning to take the game, 16-14.

Despite falling to 5-2 in conference play, Coyotes Head Coach Dick Adams felt that no one on the Coyote bench should hang their heads.

"I just can't say enough about my team's character," Adams said. "We got timely hitting, and we just battled."

Ryan Penn took the loss in relief, his second defeat of the season. The Coyote ace, who will start Saturday's first game of a doubleheader, shut down San Bernardino Valley in the ninth and 10th innings, but gave up a home run to Anthony Cordova to give the Wolverines a 15-14 lead. The visitors added another run, and Cerro Coso came to bat in the bottom half of the inning.

After two quick outs, Norm Love reached on an error and Rodney Black walked. Beau Walker, representing the winning run, struck out to end the game.

Things were close at the end, but it didn't look so promising at the start. Cerro Coso starter Ryan Hayden was rocked in the first three innings, giving up seven runs before the Coyotes finally scored in the bottom of the third. Hayden finished with eight earned runs in a five-inning appearance.

Junior Dawkins and Cory Rickets relieved, with Rickets shutting down SBVC in the eighth, prompting high praise from Adams.

Offensively, the Coyotes grabbed five runs in the seventh and eighth innings to claw back into the game.

On the day, Antoine McLeod went 4-for-6 with an RBI, Caleb Gallagher went 3-for-6 with 2 RBI, and Love and Black each collected a pair of hits.

The Coyotes will get a chance to gain revenge on the Wolverines Saturday, with a doubleheader in San Bernardino. Penn and Matt Smith will pitch for Cerro Coso.

Following the conclusion of this three-game series, Cerro Coso will take on Rio Hondo College next week, followed by Victor Valley College.

March 12, 2004

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