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Coyotes rack up mileage, experience in series: Coso building up to conference play

By Kyle Kensing, Sports Editor, The Daily Independent

2006 Team Photo
The Cerro Coso baseball squad has played 11 of its first 14 games on the road after traveling to Palomar last weekend. The Dawgs are again away Friday and Saturday for a series with Orange Empire’s Golden West College. Daily Independent Photo By Mike Delaney

The nomadic Cerro Coso baseball team continued its travels over the weekend with a three-game set at the Palomar Tournament.

The Coyotes (4-10), who have played 11 games away from home on the young 2006 season, played three tight matches with Mt. San Antonio, Palomar, and Los Angeles Pierce.

Ryan Short pitched eight outstanding innings Saturday in a 3-1, 12-inning loss to LA Pierce, but six Coso errors proved costly.

Short was working on a two-hit shutout entering the eighth, when he yielded his only run — an unearned one — on an error, knotting the contest up at one.

Dan Dobson came on in relief and pitched three shutout innings before surrendering a difference-making two-run homer in the 12th inning.

Coso head coach Dick Adams said opportunities presented themselves to the Coyotes, but the team was unable to capitlize.

“We failed to execute a bunt on one occasion, and we misread a sign on another occasion.”

Adams said both plays would have put runners into scoring position.

The weekend trip wasn’t without success, however.

Coso picked up a 7-5 win Friday against a good Palomar team.

Adam Garner pitched a “dominant” game, giving up two runs in his seven innings of work.

At the plate, the Dawgs saw big production from Andrew Hill. His two-run homerun gave Coso a 5-2 cushion that Adams said was the break his club needed.

The CCCC coach added that the scoring play didn’t pan out as intended. A hit-and-run was the original call, but Hill’s liner sailed over the fence in right-center.

Andrew Masojc added firepower in the seventh. The third baseman delivered a two-out knock to drive in two runs and put the Dawgs ahead 7-2.

Kade and Tyler McAllister each made relief appearances, with the latter picking up the save.

It was an important win for a CCCC club that has been on the short end of its share of close games this season, including a 5-4 heartbreaker the previous game against Mt. San Antonio.

“This is the best 4-10 team,” Adams said, adding that the record wasn’t necessarily indicative of how his squad has played.

“The kids are playing hard, and we’re in good spirits.

“We’re trying to get them to level they need to be at for conference. That’s more important than the [non-conference] record.”

The Dawgs again travel this weekend for a series with Orange Empire Conference power Golden West before returning home.

Wednesday, February 22, 2006