COD Baseball walks off against the Jaguars, 7-6

COD (6-19; 3-6) grabbed another walk off win, taking the game and the series, as the Roadrunners scored four runs in the ninth to knock off the Southwestern Jaguars (13-12; 2-7), 7-6.

Sophomore third baseman Nick Follett (Toronto (ONT) Bishop Allen Academy) had a great game, going 3 for 5 with four runs batted in and scoring the winning run and freshman first baseman Jonathan Mejia (Palm Desert H.S.) went 2 for 5, including getting the game winning hit on the afternoon. Sophomore designated hitter Julian Gonzalez (Palm Springs H.S.) grabbed a leadoff walk to start the rally in the bottom of the ninth. The Roadrunners would win the game without a single extra base hit.

The Jaguars would get onto the scoreboard first as they plated two runs in the top of the first and the Roadrunners would respond by halving the score in the bottom half of the inning. Leadoff hitter, freshman right fielder Nathanael Tiaga (Indio Shadow Hills) led off with a single to right field and moved to second on a wild pitch. After a sacrifice bunt by sophomore short stop Jerred Soriano (Honolulu (HI) Moanalua) moved Tiaga to third base, Follett would single to left, scoring Tiaga and making the score 2-1.

Desert would be quieted for the next six innings as Southwestern added three runs in the third to take a 5-1 lead.

Once the Jaguars lifted their starting pitcher in the bottom of the eighth, the Roadrunners went to work in the Southwestern bullpen as freshman left fielder Joshua Hernandez (Palm Desert H.S.) led off the eighth with a single to left and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and rolled into third base on a single to center by Soriano. Hernandez would dart home on a single to left by Follett and Soriano would score on a single to left by freshman second baseman Nathaniel Lopez (Palm Desert H.S.), making the score 5-3.

Southwestern would add one more run in the top of the ninth and then Roadrunners got some fireworks ready. As Gonzalez led off the bottom of the ninth with a walk and moved into scoring positon on a single to left by freshman center fielder Adam Lopez (La Quinta H.S.). After the single by Lopez, the Jaguars coaching staff had seen enough and lifted their first reliever of the afternoon, which appered to be a brilliant move for Southwestern, as the reliever got the next two Roadrunners out. Then the wheels came off, as he walked Soriano to load the bases with two out and then Gonzalez scored on a wild pitch, advancing all of the runners. Two more runs would scamper home on a single to center by Follett, as Soriano and Lopez scored to tie the game at 6-6.

Then Follett got himself into scoring position by stealing second base and scored on a crushed ball to left center field by Mejia, which fell just past the outstretched glove of the Jaguars left fielder to win the game.

Next home game for College of the Desert Baseball will be Thursday, March 29th at 2p, where they will continue Pacific Coast Athletic Conference play by hosting the Imperial Valley Arabs. Hope to see you there.

Photo by Michael Leone Photography (f8leone@yahoo.com)
Information, Photos & Story provided by COD Sports Information.