Coyotes split twin bill with AVC, goes 2-3 in series
By Cheeto Barrera, Sports Editor, The Daily Independent
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“They always swing it and play well. It will be a
good challenge for us.” |
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During both games in Saturday's doubleheader against Antelope Valley
College, Cerro Coso found itself with a chance to come from behind late.
The Coyotes failed to get the job done in the first game, but exploded
for four runs in the second to split the twin bill and win two out of
three from the Marauders.
“We had a nice explosion there in the second game and came back and got
two out of three, which is a good thing,” said Coach Dick Adams. “To get
three would have been better, but two out of three is still pretty
good.”
In the first game, trailing 4-3, the Coyotes had runners on second and
third in the eighth inning, but couldn't find a hit to bring either
home.
Facing a similar situation in the sixth inning of the second frame (game
two is a seven inning contest), the Coyotes found themselves down 7-4,
but this time managed to get the hits needed to come through.
A four spot in the top half of the inning gave the Coyotes a one run
advantage, which they lost in the bottom half.
Facing a tie game in the final inning, the Coyotes rallied for two runs
and Drew Firebaugh shut the door on AVC to earn the win.
“You could see that he was in the groove and getting after it and picked
up the win,” said Cerro Coso coach Dick Adams.
Darren Travers got roughed up in the fourth inning, yielding four runs
as AVC extended its lead to 7-2.
A pair of runs in the fifth got Cerro Coso back in the game, leading to
the late come-from-behind effort.
The run support was lacking for the Coyotes in the first game as Eugene
Wright took the loss, despite giving a good-enough-to-win performance.
“Eugene Wright kept us in the game ... it was just timely hits -we
didn't get them,” Adams said.
Cerro Coso pitchers met their coach's goal of “picket fences” through
the game - a notion of not allowing more than one run in any given
inning. And the strategy nearly worked, except twice in the game, the
Coyotes had runners on second and third, including in the eighth.
In the first game, Mark Moriarty drove in two runs with a pair of
doubles in a 2-4 effort. Joe Keiser had the only other RBI in the game
as Cerro Coso was held to three runs on seven hits.
In game two, Moriarty turned in a second 2-4 game, also recording an
RBI. Keiser followed going 2-5 with an RBI with Frank Romero going 3-5
and T.J. Gale going 2-4.
The focus now turns to Mt. San Jacinto, with the first game of a
three-game set to be played on Thursday.
“They always swing it and play well. It will be a good challenge for
us,” Adams said.
Adams said his team is going to need to continue with the timely
hitting, especially against a team like Mt. San Jacinto. He gave credit
to timely Fred Antuna, Ray Barrett and Joe Keiser for coming through in
the clutch, especially Barrett for laying down a key sacrifice bunt.
“Hitting is going to be the name of the game,” Adams said. “We had three
kids contribute who hadn't started for while. ... When guys come off
bench plus for us, it is always a plus.”
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
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The Daily Independent. Used by permission.
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