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Romero hits for the cycle as Coyotes sweep Barstow

By Cheeto Barrera, Sports Editor, The Daily Independent

“We're on a seven-game winning streak. We're playing well, but we have to step it up,”

Franklin Romero, Jr., had the day of the 2008 season and it started with utter perfection.

During Cerro Coso's doubleheader sweep against Barstow on Saturday, Romero hit for the cycle going 5-5 with five RBIs and four runs scored.

Romero was slightly off in the second game, going 1-4 with a double and three runs scored. He still managed to reach base to steal three bases.

It was one of the best offensive days in recent Coyote history by a single player, though records weren't immediately available to find out how many others had hit for the cycle.

Romero's day spearheaded an offensive effort that put up 33 runs in the twin bill.

Cerro Coso jumped out to large leads in both games, including going up 14-1 through four and a half innings in game one.

But the Vikings clawed their way back, putting up nine runs through the final five innings.

Darren Travers was tagged for seven of the 10 runs (four earned) through six innings of work. He gave up 10 hits, walked one and struck out one.

But the story line of the game was the offense.

Four Cerro Coso batters had three hits or more in the game, including Fred Bello who went 4-6 with three runs scored.

Mark Moriarty and Ryan Klorman - who came off the bench - each had three hits and each scored a trio of runs. Moriarty had three RBIs on the day with Klorman driving in a pair.

Toward the end of game one, Coach Dick Adams told his team that it was time to put the game away and stop what ever momentum the Vikings had.

A couple of runs in the eighth parlayed into a 15-1 route in game two.

Seven runs in the first inning with 11 batters coming to the plate.

Eugene Wright took the win, going five strong innings, giving up the lone Barstow run in the third on a solo homer. Wright improves his record to 4-6 on the season.

At the plate, Moriarty completed a 6-10 day with three hits, three RBIs two runs scored and a home run.

T.J. Gale added to the festivities with a 3-run homer of his own. Gale went 2-3 in the game.
Cerro Coso will now face the two toughest weeks in the schedule, starting with conference front-runner Chaffey on Thursday. That will be followed by the No. 2 team Rio Hondo.

Chaffey just completed a sweep of Rio Hondo and is perfect in Foothill play.

Adams said his boys have a shot at knocking off the leader, but it will require consistent baseball.

“We're on a seven-game winning streak. We're playing well, but we have to step it up,” Adams said. “We have to beat people here and we're capable of beating Chaffey, but are we capable of beating them two or three times? We'll find out.

April 9, 2008

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