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Coyotes sweep Mt. San Jacinto

By Nathan Ahle, The Daily Independent

"Our guys just kept putting the pressure on"

An excited and jubilant bunch of Cerro Coso Coyotes headed north Saturday night with their second season sweep of the year, as the team took two games on the road from the Mt. San Jacinto College Eagles Saturday afternoon. The team was led by ace Ryan Penn to a 7-2 win in the opener, and the entire pitching staff combined as the team rallied to a 12-11 win in the nightcap.

In game one, Penn (8-3) went the distance, allowing two runs on six hits and striking out three to win the seven-inning game.

"Ryan Penn pitched very well," said Coyotes Head Coach Dick Adams. "He really competed."

"Our guys just kept putting the pressure on," Adams continued.

Mt. San Jacinto (6-19-1, 5-12-1 Foothill) jumped out on top early with a run in the second inning, but the Coyotes got two runs in the top of the third and never relinquished the lead.

In the junior college game, defense is always critical, and the Coyotes were up to the task in the first game; the team played error-free defense.

"Credit our defense," said Adams. "Their effort was huge."

Tony Teixeira had the best game at the plate for Cerro Coso, going 3-for-3 with two doubles to continue his solid play this week. Antoine McLeod added three RBI's.

Things didn't look so rosy in the second game at the outset. With projected starter Matt Smith relegated to field duty only due to an elbow problem, Ryan Hayden took the hill in what Adams called "a staff game."

Hayden was shelled early on, as was reliever Ben Douglas, as the Eagles went out in front with seven runs in the second inning. The Coyotes (20-10, 14-7 Foothill), who had a 4-0 lead in the top of the inning, suddenly found themselves behind and unable to counter.

Then Junior Dawkins took the hill.

The righthander from Canada pitched four scoreless inning and allowed only one hit to keep the Coyotes in the game. Despite allowing five walks, Dawkins was able to pitch out of problems all afternoon long.

"Junior came of age today," said Adams.

The Eagle pitchers gradually allowed Cerro Coso back into the game. The Coyotes scored two runs in the sixth to cut the lead to 11-6, and remained in the game thanks to seven walks and five hit batters. Second baseman Rodney Black was hit four times.

In the ninth, the Coyotes blasted six runs to take the lead - all with two out.

Norm Love and Black were hit by pitches, advanced 90 feet on a passed ball, and Love scored on a balk. Kip Keith singled Black home, and Penn walked. Matt Smith tied the game with a triple drilled down the right-field line, and Adam Auer singled home Smith to give the Coyotes the lead.

In the bottom of the inning, Darren Green earned his first win of the year with another solid performance. Green struck out three in two scoreless innings.

"We're just fired up," Adams said. "We haven't really been able to sweep a lot this year, so this is big for us."

Cerro Coso continues to battle toward the Foothill Conference Tournament with a series against College of the Desert on April 22.

April 11, 2004

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