Coyote Athletics : Baseball : Articles

Coso pitching solid in three-game series with Sequoias

By Nathan Ahle, The Daily Independent

"Our guys were just hungry to play."

With the majority of college baseball games in Southern California washed out due to rain this weekend, the Cerro Coso Coyotes were left scrambling for a place to play. Fortunately, the College of the Sequoias had an available field and a team ready to play, so the two squads battled in a three-game series Saturday and Sunday. Cerro Coso won the first game 10-8, but dropped the Sunday contests 5-4 in 11 innings and 4-3 in seven innings.

The Coyotes (3-4) have played five one-run games thus far this year.

"In every game, we're not always getting the timely hits," CCCC Head Coach Dick Adams said.

Saturday, Aaron Keplinger turned in his third solid start of the season, helping the Dawgs to the victory. The freshman threw 5 2/3 solid innings, surrendering six hits and six runs, only one of which was earned.

Urbano Sanchez pitched an inning in relief and got the victory, while Kade McAllister and Adam Garner closed out the game, with Garner earning a save after striking out two in the ninth inning.

Paul Saville led the Coyotes with a 3-for-5 day at the plate, while Matt Smith and Tyler Curran each went 2-for-4 with three runs batted in and a double. Rodney Black added a 2-for-5 effort with an RBI.

"Our guys were just hungry to play," explained Adams of his team's restlessness after the weather-forced layoff.

On Sunday, the Coyotes were an out away from another victory, but the Sequoias team rallied to tie the game in the ninth and win in extra innings.

Sophomore Caleb Gallagher threw 8 2/3 solid innings, allowing only five hits. McAllister took the loss in relief in the 11th inning.

Cerro Coso had its chances in extra innings, loading the bases with nobody out and failing to score.

"Who could write that ugly script?" Adams said.

Smith, Adam Auer and Norm Love all led the team at the plate with 2-for-5 afternoons.

In the seven-inning nightcap, Sequoias pushed across a run in the fifth inning to break a 3-3 tie and held off CCCC the rest of the way.

Ryan Short, Chad Sherwood and Greg Byron put up "picket fences" (single runs in innings) on the mound, but the Coyotes were unable to muster the offense needed to win.

"My guys played hard in these games, but they keep shooting themselves in the foot," Adams said.

Cerro Coso's offensive woes continued, as the Dawgs mustered only three hits.

The Coyotes will begin their 2005 home schedule Friday and Saturday with a three-game weekend series with Golden West College at the Dawg Yard.

February 24, 2005

For more on this story please subscribe to The Daily Independent at: dieditor@ridgecrestca.com