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Cerro Coso's winning ways continue

By Cheeto Barrera, Sports Editor, The Daily Independent

“He just smoked a clean shot over left field...”

After snapping a six-game losing stint, the Cerro Coso men's baseball team has started another streak, this time a more positive one.

The Coyotes (9-10) swept a double header against Barstow on Saturday, winning 6-4 in the first game and 10-6 in the second, and now have won five in a row and have taken a perfect 3-0 start to Foothill Conference play.

In game one, Cerro Coso was forced to play catch up after Barstow's Trey Usirch hit a three-run homer in the first inning to put the Vikings up 3-0.

The score remained the same through five innings when Tyler McAllister scored from third base on a balk.

Barstow retook a three-run lead in its half of the fifth when Vincent Mendes hit a solo jack to right field.

In the seventh with the score 4-2 and runners on first and second, coach Dick Adams elected to sacrifice Mark Sayas - one of the team's hottest hitters - and play for a tie after seven innings.

“In our double headers, if we are tied after the seventh, we can play a full nine (in the first game),” Adams said. “So I sacrifice Sayas and move the runners over. (Behind him) Royal Good has been on of the clutchiest hitters.”

And Good did not disappoint.

He drilled a single to score a run and pull Cerro Coso to within one of Barstow.

After walking the bases loaded, and with two outs, Kyle Hanson drew a 3-2 walk to tie the ball game.

McAllister finished off the scoring by drilling a shot to left center, scoring two runs.

On the hill for the Coyotes, Kyle Tullis went five innings and gave up four runs on six hits, striking out three and walking one.

Ryan Fischer came in the sixth and held the Vikings hitless through two innings of shutout ball, walking one and striking out one, to take his first win of the season.

In the second game, Barstow once again jumped out to an early lead, going up 2-0 after two innings.

Sayas knotted the game up in the third when he hit a two-run homer.

“He just smoked a clean shot over left field,” Adams said.

Sayas' home run sparked a scoring drive where the Coyotes recorded at least one run through the seventh inning.

Barstow notched a run in their half of the third, but Cerro Coso drove in two of its own in the fourth and tallied an extra in the fifth.

The sixth inning proved to be the decider for the Coyotes teed off on Barstow pitching.

After White singled to score Good, McAllister singled to load the bases.

He was followed b Fredrick Bello, Andrew Hill and Brian Peat who all recorded RBI singles to put a four spot on the board by the end of the inning on five hits.

The Coyotes tacked on an additional run in the seventh when McAllister hit a sac fly bring Good home from third.

With the score lopsided, and needing his other pitchers to get some much needed work, Adams relieved Brett Cobbley, who went six innings, gave p seven hits and three runs, one earned.

He was replaced by Ryan Gorzitze who threw a no-hit seventh, walking one.

Jamie Cameron pitched the eighth and gave p one run on one hit and struck out two.

In the ninth, Colby Ingram took the hill and yielded two runs, one earned, on one hit and a walk.

Adams said Cameron and Ingram were a bit rusty when they took their innings of work, which was reflected in their performance. But he said they are good arms and was trying to get them some work.

The Coyotes will next begin a three-game series to continue Foothill Conference play against San Bernardino Valley on Thursday on the road.

The game has been moved from the Wolverines' home field to Fiscalini Field in San Bernardino with first pitch scheduled for 2:30 p.m.

Cerro Coso returns home for a double header to close out the series on Saturday with the first game scheduled for noon.

Tuesday, March 13, 2007

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