COD Baseball grabs 5th straight win in a walk off over Wolverines, 5-4

COD (7-16; 5-2) had one of their more impressive wins of the season and continued rolling through Conference play, as they plated two runs in the bottom of the ninth to take their 5th consecutive win at the expense of the San Bernardino Valley Wolverines (4-20; 3-7), 5-4.

Desert freshman right handed starting pitcher Robin Landazuri (Redlands H.S.) tossed eight complete surrendering three runs, none earned, on eight hits, walking two and striking out four in his third win of the season. Freshman right handed relief pitcher Quinton Bidon (Enumclaw, WA) closed out the game, throwing the top of the ninth for his fourth save of the season.

Sophomore left fielder Jason Nall (Playa del Rey St. Bernard) led the Roadrunners with a 3 for 4 day at the plate, scoring two runs and freshman second baseman Jerred Soriano (Honolulu (HI) Moanalua) clobbered the game winning double to left with two on and two out to win the game.

The Roadrunners got the scoring started in the bottom of the second when sophomore right fielder Trenton Covel (Palm Desert Xavier Prep), hitting out of the five hole, led off the inning with a double to right field and came home on an infield single by freshman catcher Julian Gonzalez (Palm Springs H.S.), giving Desert the early 1-0 lead. 

Desert would pad that lead in the bottom of the sixth when Nall led off the inning with a single to right field and was moved over on a bunt sacrifice by Covel. Nall would move to third base on a ground out at first base by Gonzalez and eventually would scamper home on a single to left by Bidon, giving the Roadrunners a 2-0 lead. 

That lead would hold until the top of the eighth, when San Bernardino Valley would put across two runs to tie the game as a misjudged ball got over the center fielder's head, turning one mistake into an avalanche as he tried to get the ball back into the infield.

The Roadrunners would reclaim the lead in the bottom of the eighth, when Nall hit an infield single, eventually stealing second base and then coming home on a single to center by Gonzalez, giving Desert a 3-2 lead going into the ninth.

A leadoff walk in the top of the ninth by the Wolverines, ended the day for the Roadrunners starting pitcher Landazuri. In came Bidon, and after a single to right, put two on, the pitcher struck out the next Wolverines batter. Unfortunately, in the strike out, the Desert catcher attempted to gun down the San Bernardino Valley runner attempting to steal third base and tossed the ball into left field, scoring that runner and tying the game at 3-3. Two batters later, the Wolverines took a 4-3 lead on a single to center, scoring the runner from third base.

In the bottom of the ninth, San Bernardino Valley brought in a starter to close out the contest and Bidon led off the inning with a double to center and was promptly erased in a fielder's choice as they attempted to double up freshman third baseman Nicholas Follett (Toronto (ON) Bishop Allen Academy) who escaped the tag on a low throw. The next batter struck out looking and freshman short stop Allan Dong (Honolulu (HI) Kalani) was tagged on the elbow for a hit-by-pitch, which clearly rattled the Wolverines pitcher, because his very next pitch was in the dirt, sending Dong and Follett onto the next base.

With the tying run 90 feet away and the winning run in scoring position, Soriano dug in at home plate with two on and two out and fought off pitch after pitch, ending up with a two balls-two strikes count, before he punished a double to left scoring both Dong and Follett to win the game.

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