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Coyote errors lead to 30 COD runs, twinbill defeat

By Cheeto Barrera, Sports Editor, The Daily Independent

DAILY INDEPENDENT PHOTO BY CHEETO BARRERA Second baseman Cody Reiger attempts to turn a double play in the second inning. His throw was offline.

As the errors piled up for Cerro Coso on Saturday, so did the runs for College of the Desert.

In the first leg of the double header, seven errors allowed the Roadrunners to drop a boulder on the Coyotes in a 10-2 rout.

Cerro Coso’s offense exploded in the second game for 11 runs in one inning, but the defense once again faltered, yielding an 11-run inning of their own as Desert took a 20-14 victory and a series sweep.

It was the first time in the history of the two schools that Cerro Coso has ever been swept by Desert.

Coach Dick Adams said the team must now switch its priorities at this point of the season, noting that any hopes of making it to the playoffs are now gone.

“We have to figure out what do,” Adams said. “I told them to reassess our goals. I suggested 20 wins for this season, and they thought it was a good idea. That means we have to now go 10-6 in the remainder of the season.”

The Coyotes are now 3-8 at home this season, a season where Cerro Coso is 10-18 overall and 4-8 in Foothill Conference play.

“It was a fun atmosphere out there,” Adams said. “We had a P.A. announcer, music, a piano and our snack bar. No other team in our conference does that kind of stuff. But we haven’t be able to protect our home. We have had too many losses.”

Cerro Coso battled in the early going with Desert, as Brett Cobbley fanned four batters and surviving a pair of errors by the left side of the infield.

And though the Coyotes committed a pair of errors, they gave up two runs.

In the second, Kyle Hanson had drawn a walk and easily stole second. After Tyler McAllister reached on an error, Hanson advanced to third and scored on a single by Fred Bello.

The two runs in the third inning by the Roadrunners were answered in Cerro Coso’s half as Cody Reiger scored from second on an RBI single by Jon Proesl.

But the Coyote bats fell silent, unable to get a timely hit to get back into the game. The defense coughed up four runs following more mental lapses by the Coyotes.

Cobbley was replaced the following inning after going four, giving up five hits and six runs. Just two were earned.

Adams said he thought Cobbley had an amazing outing on the mound, and could have won the game were it not for all the errors.

“He pitched well enough to win,” Adams said. “But we made seven errors. Cobbly made three himself throwing the ball away at first.”

The second game, Cerro Coso found itself down 10-2 early before a fourth inning rally allowed 11-consecutive men come to the plate leading to 11 runs for the inning.

However, the sixth inning, the Roadrunners put an 10 spot on the board to take a 20-14 lead.

And again, the error reared its ugly head.

“You would have thought there was a celebration or a holiday,” Adams said.

But 10 runs on six hits ended the festivities.

McAllister came in to try to save the game for the Coyotes, going three and a third. Adams said he thought he should have brought his closer in sooner, but there was little the Cerro Coso pitching could do.

In game one, Nick Parker went 2-3 — the only Coyote to have a multiple hit game.

Brian Peat had the hot bat for the Coyotes in the second game, going 2-3 with three RBIs and a double.

Reiger and Mark Sayas followed with a pair of hits and a pair of RBIs. Parker again went 2-3 and had an RBI. McAllister was the final Coyote to have a pair of hits on the day.

Cerro Coso will take a week off from conference games for the Mashin’ in the Mojave Tournament it is hosting starting today. It will resume its schedule on April 12 against Rio Hondo at home starting at 2:30 p.m.

Tuesday, April 3, 2007