COD Baseball falls in extra innings to the Panthers, 4-3

COD (2-14) wrapped up their non-Conference schedule facing a former Foothill Conference foe, the Rancho Cucamonga Chaffey Panthers (10-4), the game would carry over into the 12th inning, where the Roadrunners fell, 4-3.

Both teams tossed up zeros on the scoreboard for the first three complete innings, then Chaffey got on the board first when a sacrifice fly scored a runner from third base, giving the Panthers the early 1-0 lead. Desert would respond in the bottom of the frame, when freshman third baseman Nicholas Follett (Toronto (ON) Bishop Allen Academy) led off the inning with a double and was brought home on a two out single by freshman first baseman Quinton Bidon (Enumclaw, WA), tying the game at 1-1.

The game would remain tied at 1-1 all the way through until the top of the tenth when the Panthers appeared to have the game won with a two run outburst, but the Roadrunners would once again tie the game in the bottom of the tenth.

Freshman second baseman Jerred Soriano (Honolulu (HI) Moanalua) got on base in the tenth by clobbering a one out double to left and was lifted for freshman pinch runner Frank Silva (La Quinta H.S.). Sophomore short stop Dominic Velasquez (Palm Desert Xavier Prep) would reach first on an error by the Chaffey short stop and moved Silva to third base. Then sophomore catcher Travis Tanaka (Honolulu (HI) St. Louis) took a two out of speed pitch into shallow left-center to score Silva and get Desert to within in one run, 3-2, with two outs. Follett then came through again, as he punished a single to right and scored Velasquez to tie the game at 3-3.

Unfortunately, Desert would surrender a bases loaded walk in the top of the 12th inning and could not get that run back in the bottom half of the inning. 

Freshman right handed starting pitcher Jake Mesa (La Quinta H.S.) had a tremendous outing on the mound, tossing nine complete innings, only surrendering one run, which was unearned, on three hits, walking two and striking out six in a no decision. Follett led the way for the Roadrunners, going 2 for 5 with a run scored and a run batted in on the afternoon.

Photo by Britney Vargas (COD Sports Information)
Information, Photos & Story provided by COD Sports Information.