Hot second, fourth pushes Coso past Desert 7-5
By Kyle Kensing, Sports Editor, The Daily Independent
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Dusty Romero at the plate in Cerro Coso’s 7-5 win over College of
the Desert yesterday. Romero returned from a hamstring injury to
help CCCC to a 9-1 Foothill Conference record. Daily Independent
Photo By Kyle Kensing |
Two innings of offensive production were all Cerro Coso needed yesterday
to top College of the Desert 7-5 for its ninth Foothill Conference win
in ten tries.
The Coyotes (13-13, 9-1 Foothill Conference) exploded for five runs in
the second inning and tacked on two more in the fourth, which in
conjuction with a stingy defensive effort, was more than enough cushion
for starter Jessie Zuber to pick up the win.
With Desert holding an early 2-0 lead, the flood gates opened for CCCC
when Kyle Hanson and Dusty Romero knocked back-to-back singles.
Zack Wilson laid down a textbook sacrifice bunt to move the runners into
scoring position, and Hanson was brought home on a Desert error.
Andrew Masojc tied it up with a single, and another Desert error on a
Mark Sayas bunt gave Coso the 3-2 lead.
Liam Tenant added the next run with a sacrifice fly.
After Jon Proesl walked on four straight pitches, Paul Saville drove in
another with a long ground rule double to center field, that in any
other part of the Dawg Yard would have been a round tripper.
“You have to give the offense credit,” said CCCC head coach Dick Adams.
“The bats came alive in the second.”
Coso tacked on the next two in the fourth on a Tenant double to score a
run, and a two-out, two-strike knock from Saville to score Proesl.
On the other end of the ball, Zuber gave up the two Desert runs in the
first half-inning and proceeded to go goose eggs the next seven, thanks
in no small part to outstanding infield work.
CCCC mathematics yesterday proved 6+4+3 equals two.
That’s because Coso turned four inning-ending double plays on the day,
two of which were with Desert base runners in scoring position, thanks
to the trio of shortstop Sayas, second baseman Romero, and first baseman
Hill.
“[The double plays were] huge in getting [Zuber] out of jams,” Adams
said.
One of the Coyotes’ four double plays were with bases loaded, and
Desert’s speedy Kurt Mertins looking to get on first.
“We don’t get him, and they score a run,” Adams said.
That hypothetical run would have gone a long way for the visiting
Roadrunners, who despite trailing by five runs most of the way, were
breathing down Coso’s neck in the ninth.
Zuber allowed two base runners in the top of the last half-inning with
no outs. Adams went to the pen and brought in Dan Dobson.
Dobson faced Desert slugger Brian Shea, who clobbered a pitch to send it
over the left field wall for a three-run homer.
“Dobson’s been good in relief for us,” Adams said. “But he’s not
effective against the first batter he faces. Last week he gave up a
triple against the first batter, and yesterday the home run.”
Adams again called on a reliever, bringing in Felice Cammisuli. The
freshman from Newcastle, Ontario got the two outs he needed to end it.
“It was a good game,” Adams said. “And we expect two more like it
Saturday. They’re a scrappy team.”
Coso renews the series at Desert tomorrow in a doubleheader.
Adam Garner gets the ball in the first half, with Aaron Keplinger taking
the mound in the second.
Friday, March 24, 2006
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© 2006
The Daily Independent. Used by permission.
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