COD Baseball walks off on Sophomore Day over the Olympians, 8-7

COD (12-27; 9-14) grabbed their third walk off win of the season and all on Sophomore Day, as the San Diego Mesa Olympians (21-18; 14-9) tied the game late and the Roadrunners grabbed a one out, bases loaded hit to win the game, 8-7.

Sophomore right handed starting pitcher Quinton Bidon (Enumclaw, WA) tossed a fantastic game, as he throw six complete shutout innings, working into and out of jams, surrendering ten hits.

Desert would get things going in the bottom of the first, when freshman left fielder Joshua Hernandez (Palm Desert H.S.) on a ground out to give the Roadrunners an early 1-0 lead.

The home side would score two more runs in the bottom of the second inning, when sophomore catcher Julian Gonzalez (Palm Springs H.S.) scored on a single to right field by freshman short stop Nathanael Tiaga (Indio Shadow Hills) and sophomore second baseman Jerred Soriano (Honolulu (HI) Moanalua) scored on a single to left field by Hernandez to give Desert a 3-0 lead.

The Roadrunners continued to build that lead when they scored three more runs in the bottom of the third inning as freshman designated hitter Nathaniel Lopez (Palm Desert H.S.) scored on a brutal bunt single by freshman right fielder Adam Lopez (La Quinta H.S.). Gonzalez would score when, on a double steal, the Olympians catcher chucked the baseball into left field trying to get him at third base, bringing home Gonzalez and giving Desert a 5-0 lead. One more run would score when Adam Lopez would cross home plate when Tiaga reached on an error by the Mesa short stop.

Desert would get one more run in the bottom of the fourth, when sophomore third baseman Nick Follett (Toronto (ONT) Bishop Allen Academy) scored on a passed ball, to give the Roadrunners a 7-0 lead.

As is the case with Community College Baseball, no lead is safe and that was certainly the case this afternoon as the Olympians scored four runs in the top of the seventh, a run in the top of the eighth and two more runs in the top of the ninth to tie the game at 7-7.

The Roadrunners would be facing the sixth different pitcher used against them in the bottom of the ninth and the 5-6-7 batters coming up to try and win the game. Nathaniel Lopez led off the ninth and was quickly plunked, then Gonzalez singled to left and Adam Lopez was hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out. Soriano then punished an infield shot right at the third baseman with a great deal of side spin, but with Nathaniel Lopez charging in from third base, the Olympians third baseman threw wide of the catcher who couldn't get back to the plate fast enough to tag the plate and Nathaniel Lopez crossed home plate standing to win the game.

Next game for College of the Desert Baseball will be the final game of the 2018 season, as they travel to the San Diego Mesa Olympians of Clairemont Mesa on Friday, April 27th at 2 p.m. Hope to see you there.

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For additional information, please contact the COD Sports Information Office at 760.423.6641.