COD Baseball returns from pandemic hiatus to shoot down Seahawks, 7-4

COD (1-0) returned to the field for the first time in 688 days, playing in front of a excited crowd and they were not disappointed, as the Roadrunners got 10 K's out of the starting pitching and rolled past the LA Harbor Seahawks of Wilmington (0-1), 7-4.

The Roadrunners played their last home game March 11, 2020, tonight was the return for Desert Baseball in one of the most anticipated teams since the 2010 team which reached the SoCal Regional playoffs.

The game started off with a bit of the "yips" as the Roadrunners were wound up tighter than a toy top when the Desert defense committed three consecutive fielding errors. But freshman right hand starting pitcher Kenneth Schechter (Newtonville (MA) Newton North) cut off the Seahawks plans for a big inning, by grabbing one of his 10 strike outs on the night and fly out to end the threat.

Harbor would strike first in the top half of the third, but the Roadrunners would equalize in the bottom of the frame as sophomore left fielder William Owens (Crescent City (FL) H.S.) scampered home from third on a sacrifice fly to right by freshman third baseman Spencer Dickinson (Rancho Mirage H.S.), tying the game at 1-1.

Desert would pad their lead in the fifth, when sophomore second baseman Dalton Thomas (Wenatchee (WA) H.S.) scored on a fielder's choice and later in the inning, freshman short stop Dillon Baker (Tampa (FL) Carrollwood Day School) scored on a wild pitch to give the Roadrunners a 3-1 lead.

Desert would tack on another run in the seventh, when Thomas scored on a triple to center by freshman center fielder Joeseph Jimenez (Palm Desert H.S.), giving the Roadrunners a 4-1 lead.

The Seahawks would try and climb back into the game by scoring an unearned run in the top of the eighth, but Desert would respond with three more runs in the bottom of the inning. Dickinson would head home on a double to center by freshman catcher Drake Bicknell (Sacramento Jesuit) and Bicknell would score on a bases loaded infield single by Thomas. Freshman right fielder Antonio Crews (Grayslake (IL) Central) would score later in the inning on a fielder's choice, giving the Roadrunners a 7-2 lead.

As is the case with all Community College Baseball, no lead is safe, ever and Harbor made a push late, but just as it appeared the wheels were about to completely come off the wagon, Baker made a huge play at short, climbing the ladder to steal a sure hit to left field and ending the game. Freshman right handed relief pitcher Marco Calderon-Lopez (Indio H.S.) would grab his first save of 2022.

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

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