Coyote Athletics : Baseball : Articles: 4-12-2006

Coyotes take two from Taft

By Kyle Kensing, Sports Editor, The Daily Independent

Coso’s Cameron White heads for first after connecting in the first game of yesterday’s doubleheader with Taft. Coso returns to the Dawg Yard Thursday against Oxnard at noon. Taft and Oxnard play today at 2 p.m. Daily Independent Photo By Kyle Kensing

Cerro Coso’s Mash in the Mojave Tournament kicked off yesterday at the Dawg Yard with the locals picking up a pair of wins against Taft College.

Mark Sayas had a big day, batting 2-3 and 4-5 in the doubleheader. The shortstop did his part to help the Coyotes (19-17) to 5-4 and 18-11 wins.

Sayas drove in two runs under the lights in game two.

“He’s been our big money guy,” said head coach Dick Adams.

With Sayas contributing at the plate, Greg Byron (1-1) was big from the hill. The reliever came on from the bullpen in the second inning and went eight full innings to earn his first collegiate win.

“Byron was what we needed in that game,” Adams said.

Byron gave up six hits, four earned runs, struck out six and walked none.

The sophomore’s steady pitching provided the stability Coso needed to counteract five errors.

“Our defense isn’t as good as it has been...[or it] should be,” Adams said.

The Coyotes were tagged for seven errors total in the twin bill.

But while the defense may have sputtered somewhat, the Coyotes’ offense was clicking.

CCCC connected for 18 hits in the win, including 3-5 hitting by Jon Proesl.

Proesl had a hand in a 7-run first inning with his RBI double. That half-inning bridged an early 4-0 deficit.

Taft jumped out of the gate with four runs off starter Aaron Keplinger.

Leadoff hitter C.T. Twissleman singled, followed by a Justin Whiteside walk.

Alex Lyons doubled to score the first Taft run, with Matt Bazzant connecting for a two-run RBI right after.

Tyson Davis capped the Taft outburst with a run scoring single.

And that’s the last time the visitors would lead.

Sayas and Kevin Orlowski hit back-to-back doubles to score Coso’s first run.

Proesl made it three straight two-baggers, and another Coyote run.

Coso made it through the order, with Sayas getting another shot — and again he delivered.

He singled in Andrew Hill and Jason Pierce.

That first inning was enough foundation to push CCCC to the victory, as it set the tone for a hit parade that would score two more in the second, four in the fifth, two in the sixth, and three in the eighth.

According to Adams, “Taft kept battling,” but the road team came up short.

Game one saw TCC come much closer, however.

Coso was the team to jump out 4-0 initially in the afternoon game.

With Cameron White, Romero, and Saville on the bags, Kyle Hanson lived up to his nickname “Hack,” when he took a big cut and drove one out of the park and off the scoreboard in left field for Coso’s first grand slam of the season.

Taft battled back however, with Bazzant smacking a two-run round tripper in the fourth.

Adams said TCC was able to hang around due to its base running.

“Taft is a fast team,” he said. “They use their foot speed to get in [scoring] position.”

Taft’s speed wasn’t enough to get past Coso starter Adam Garner (7-5), however.

He went all seven innings, giving up four runs (three earned) off 10 hits with eight strikeouts and no walks, to pick up his seventh win.

The right hander from Toronto got some help on the opposite end in the sixth inning, when Sayas came up big yet again.

His triple scored Masojc and put the game out of Taft’s reach.

TCC and Oxnard square off today at 2 p.m. Coso has today off.

The Coyotes take on Oxnard in the Mash finale Thursday at 12 noon. Jessie Zuber and Ryan Short are Thursday’s starters.

Wednesday, April 12, 2006