Coso drops third to Rio Hondo
By Kyle Kensing, Sports Editor, The Daily Independent
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"We’re still in this thing..." |
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It never quite clicked for Cerro Coso in the Coyotes’ Foothill
Conference series against Rio Hondo, and the result was an 0-3 showing,
which concluded Saturday at the Dawg Yard.
Coso (14-17, 10-5 Foothill) fell behind 7-0 early in the second half of
a doubleheader en route to a 12-6 loss. Starting pitcher Aaron Keplinger
gave up six hits in his two innings of work, including a three-run round
tripper by designated hitter Victor Penedo.
“That’s the difference in this series,” said CCCC head coach Dick Adams.
“Rio Hondo...hit home runs. We don’t hit home runs.”
In total, the Roadrunners knocked six out of the park through the
three-game set, and six of the Roadrunners’ 12 runs in this game were a
result of the long ball.
The Coyotes slipped to third, two games behind Hondo and three behind
leading Chaffey, with nine games to go in the season.
The Foothill Conference sends just its top two to the State Playoffs.
“We’re still in this thing,” Adams said. “Theoretically, if we win out,
we tie Chaffey for second and go to State.”
His Coyotes’ have remaining contests with Victor Valley, Mt. San
Jacinto, and the conference finale against first place Chaffey, a
weekend Adams said is big for hosting the conference’s top dog.
That chase for a top spot made Saturday’s a must-win game according to
Adams, but the initial deficit was too much to overcome.
Adams sent “a whole slew of pitchers” to the mound — Kade McAllister,
Tyler McAllister, Greg Byron, and Ryan Short.
Adams said Short’s return to the lineup is a “positive” of the weekend.
Short missed over a month of game action due to soreness in his elbow.
He went one inning against Hondo, and is scheduled to start the
seven-inning doubleheader game this weekend at Victor Valley.
Meanwhile, in the finale against Hondo, the Coyotes came roaring back in
the fifth inning with five big runs to shave the gap to two.
Hondo however answered in the very next half-inning with four more runs,
more than enough to put it out of reach.
The road back to the top of the league begins tomorrow for Cerro Coso
when it hosts VVCC at the Dawg Yard.
Adam Garner, Coso’s big right hander, takes the ball for the nine-inning
affair, which begins at 2 p.m.
Wednesday, April 5, 2006
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© 2006
The Daily Independent. Used by permission.
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