Eduardo Miranda
The Daily Independent
The Cerro Coso baseball team hosted Chaffey and defeated the Panthers 10-6 to avoid being swept and losing their final home game of the season on Saturday, April 22nd. The Coyotes improved to 23-16 overall and 15-9 in the Inland Empire Athletic Conference and keep their chances of making the California Community College Athletic Association playoff. The Coyotes used a huge offensive burst in the bottom of the fifth to score five runs to turn a 5-4 lead into 10-4, which they held on to give the conference leaders their third loss in conference. Head Coach Justus Scott spoke on the big win by his team and his players showing on Sophomore Night.
"It was a big win. We had to take it in order to give us a better opportunity, I won't guarantee it, but a good shot at making playoff. Plus, we don't get swept by them and that's a big thing too," he said. "Again, it's great. We played pretty good baseball for nine or 10 games in a row, and then first two in the set we didn't play very good baseball. But they are very good and when we don't play well against good teams' chances are you are going to lose. Today is big for a lot of reasons. Last home game for a lot of these guys, gives them a legitimate shot at getting in the playoff, beat a good team, and we didn't get swept.
The Coyotes began with Jax Holzem on the mound where he threw three innings giving up five hits for four runs with two earned. He had five strikeouts and one walk after facing 17 batters. Jake Ridding was called on to relief pitch and he went six innings with five hits for two runs for the win. He walked two batters and struck out seven of the 26 batters he faced.
The Coyotes offense scored 10 runs on 16 hits with 10 RBIs from 40 at bats. The team struck out 13 times, walked five times, and left 14 runners stranded including having the bases loaded on three occasions. They also had two extra bases hits, a double from Holzem and a triple from Jonluke Hobdy.
The game began with Holzem not allowing a run in the first inning. But the Coyotes side was retired with Hobdy, Jordan Boman, and Brentt Olmo striking out. In the second, Holzem got the first two batters out on a strikeout and ground out. He then hit the next batter and gave up a run before getting the final out on a line drive to Hobdy in left field.
The offense started with a leadoff hit from Hunter Bagshaw and Luigi Reyes got hit by a pitch to put two runners on base. Holzem got his first of three RBIs when he grounded out to bring Bagshaw home. Jackson Alaniz was walked, Dominic Lopez struck out, and Jordan Chatman got a hit to load the bases with two outs. Hobdy hit an RBI single to score Reyes. Boman was up with the bases loaded but popped out to end the inning.
Cerro Coso went into the top of the third leading 2-0. Holzem gave up a leadoff double but got the ensuing batter to hit a line drive to Hobdy for the first out. He then gave up back-to-back singles and a double that scored three runs before striking out the batter. He gave a up a double that scored a run on a Coyotes error. Holzem walked the next batter he faced but was able to pick off the runner at first for the third out.
The offense started with a line drive to right field from Olmo for the first out, but Bagshaw got a hit to reach first. Reyes got a hit and reached first safely and after Holzem was hit by a pitch the Coyotes had the bases loaded with one out. Alaniz and Lopez were unable to capitalize on the situation and both struck out to close the inning.
The Coyotes took the field in the fourth trailing 4-2, and Ridding took the mound. He struck out the leadoff batter, got the next batter to hit the ball to Lopez at second base, he then walked the next batter, but got the final out on a ground ball. The Coyotes had Jordan Chatman as the leadoff batter and he was walked. Hobdy hit an RBI triple to score Chatman, and Boman hit an RBI single to tie the game at 4-4. Olmo grounded out, Bagshaw was walked, Reyes hit an RBI single to give the home team a 5-4 lead. Holzem struck out and Alaniz hit a line drive to the Chaffey center fielder.
Cerro Coso led 5-4 going into the fifth, and Ridding kept the lead for the home team. He got the leadoff batter to ground out, gave up a hit, but recovered by getting the next batter to hit a line drive to Olmo in center field. He gave up another hit but struck out the next batter to close the top of the inning. Lopez hit a leadoff triple for the Coyotes. Chatman struck out and Hobdy grounded out, but with two outs Boman hit an RBI single to score Lopez and a Panther error let him reach second. Olmo was walked and Bagshaw hit an RBI single to bring home Boman, Reyes followed with an RBI to score Olmo, and Holzem capped it with a two-run double for a 10-4 lead.
In the sixth, Ridding retired the side but the Coyotes offense saw Lopez and Chatman both get out. Hobdy got a hit but Olmo struck out to end the inning. In the seventh, Ridding gave up a hit and a double to the first two batters. Chaffey hit a sacrifice flyball to Hobdy to score a run. Ridding walked the next batter, struck out the next, and the Panthers scored on a Coyote error before Ridding got the final out on a ground ball.
The Coyotes began with Olmo popping out and Blake Tablazon getting hit by a pitch. Reyes was then walked and Holzem popped out. Alaniz got a hit to load the bases with two outs but Lopez popped out to end the inning.
The eighth inning saw Ridding strikeout the leadoff batter, give up a hit, and then strikeout the next two. The Coyotes side was retired with Chatman and Hobdy both striking out. Olmo hit a line drive to left field for the final out. Ridding came out to close the ninth inning for the Coyotes. He started by getting the leadoff batter to ground out. He gave up double with a Coyote error, but closed the inning with a pop out and a ground out to secure the win.