Roadrunners Walk It Off Again, Edge Eagles 6–5

The College of the Desert baseball team continued its dramatic run through conference play on Friday afternoon, rallying for its third walk-off victory of the season to defeat Mt. San Jacinto, 6–5.

The Roadrunners (13–4; 6–1 IEAC) resumed Thursday's suspended game and climbed out of an early deficit to secure a key Inland Empire Athletic Conference win over the Eagles (11–8; 5–3), tightening their grip at the top of the conference standings.

The game originally began Thursday but was halted due to high winds and hazardous air quality out of concern for player safety. Play resumed Friday at noon under far more favorable conditions.

Sophomore center fielder Brandon Leon (La Quinta H.S.) led the offense from the leadoff spot, going 2-for-4 to record his 11th multi-hit game of the season. Leon delivered the biggest hit of the afternoon in the bottom of the ninth, lining a single to left field that scored freshman second baseman Stephen Hutchinson (Palm Desert H.S.) for the walk-off victory.

Sophomore first baseman Malakai Lopez (Rancho Mirage H.S.) went 1-for-4 with two runs scored out of the two-hole in the lineup. Freshman right fielder Kaden Prosofsky (Bishop James Mahoney H.S., Saskatoon, Saskatchewan) provided an early spark, blasting his second home run of the season, a two-run shot in the bottom of the first inning.

Sophomore third baseman Jayvin Baxa (La Quinta H.S.) also came through in a critical moment, going 1-for-3 with a clutch RBI triple down the left-field line in the bottom of the eighth inning that scored sophomore catcher Benjamin Wade (Holy Savior Menard H.S., Alexandria, Louisiana) from first base to tie the game at 5–5.

On the mound, freshman starter Javier Vasquez (La Quinta H.S.) faced early trouble in his seventh start of the season, allowing five runs, only one earned, on four hits before exiting in the first inning.

Sophomore reliever Caleb Ortiz (Shadow Hills H.S., Indio) stabilized the game and delivered a dominant performance out of the bullpen. Ortiz tossed seven shutout innings of relief to keep the Roadrunners within striking distance against the Eagles' potent lineup.

Freshman left-hander Victor Estrada (Palm Desert H.S.) closed the door in the ninth inning, striking out two batters to earn his second win of the season.

College of the Desert will continue Inland Empire Athletic Conference play Saturday at Mt. San Jacinto before returning home Tuesday, March 10 at 2 p.m. for a home-and-home series against former Foothill Conference rival Rio Hondo (5–15).

The matchup will mark the first meeting between the programs in nearly a decade. The Roadrunners last hosted Rio Hondo in 2016.

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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 Dale Beck Photography.