COD Baseball gets back in win column by sinking the Vikings, 20-0

COD (15-12; 8-5) demolished their 4-game losing streak by dominating on the mound and in the batter's box as the Roadrunners sank the Barstow Vikings (4-21; 2-9), 20-0.

Desert came into today's contest on a four-game skid, then proceeded to grab their most lopsided win in 17 years, all while completing their fastest game of the season in 2 hours and 33 minutes. The last time the Roadrunners had a 20-run differential was on the backside of a double header on March 19, 2005 at Barstow, where Desert knocked off the Vikings, 26-6.

Freshman left handed starting pitcher Kenny Keller (Tampa (FL) Thomas R. Robinson) had a great day on the mound, tossing five complete for his third win of the season, giving up three hits, walking none and striking out three in his ninth appearance and sixth start of 2022.

Freshman right handed relief pitcher Cipriano Rivera (Indio H.S.) threw an inning, walking one and striking out one, surrendering a pair of hits in his second appearance of 2022 and freshman right handed relief pitcher Nathan Kelly (Desert Hot Springs H.S.) tossed an inning striking out one and giving up a couple of hits in his third appearance of 2022.

Freshman right handed relief pitcher Dominic LeBlanc (Yuba City River Valley) threw and inning and struck out one and freshman right handed relief pitcher Austin Stover (Lake Forest El Toro) wrapped it up, shutting down the Vikings in order in the ninth in his second appearance of 2022.

Sophomore first baseman Jaxon Millet (Bethel, CT) went 2 for 3 in his tenth multi-hit game of the season, scoring twice and batting in a pair out of the "clean-up" spot and freshman right fielder Antonio Crews (Grayslake (IL) Central) went 2 for 3 with two runs scored and plating a season high, three RBI's in the win.

Sophomore center fielder William Owens (Crescent City, FL) went 2 for 4, in his twelfth multi-hit game of the season, with a run scored and an RBI out of the leadoff spot and freshman left fielder Graham Gonzales (Valparaiso, IN) went 2 for 3 in his sixth multi-hit game of the season, with two runs scored.

Freshman left fielder Matt Cruz (Indio H.S.) went 2 for 3, grabbing his second multi-hit game of the season, with two runs scored and his second RBI of the season and freshman third baseman Spencer Dickinson (Rancho Mirage H.S.) went 2 for 4, in his ninth multi-hit game of the season, with a pair of runs scored and an RBI.

Freshman third baseman Braden Schiffner (Littleton, CO) went 2 for 2, in his first multi-hit game of the season, with his first RBI of 2022 and  freshman first baseman Taisei Yamada (Kai (JPN) Japan Aviation) went 2 for 3, in his second multi-hit game of the season.

Freshman short stop Dillon Baker (Tampa (FL) Carrollwood Day School) scored two runs and freshman catcher Martin Sanchez (Beaumont H.S.) hit his third home run of the season, a two-run shot to center in the third inning.

Freshman designated hitter Elvis Farina, Jr. (Orange Park (FL) Oakleaf) went 2 for 3, in his fourth multi-hit game of the season, with a run scored and an RBI and sophomore second baseman Dalton Thomas (Wenatchee, WA) scored a pair of runs, plating a season high three RBI's and grabbing a season high three walks out of the nine hole in the lineup.

College of the Desert Baseball will continue Inland Empire Athletics Conference (IEAC) play by traveling to Barstow to face the Barstow Vikings on Thursday, March 31 at 2:30p. The next home game for the Roadrunners is April 2nd at 1p, when the Barstow Vikings wrap up their season series with the Roadrunners.

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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).