Author:mnoconnor24

Wild Pitch Walk Off Win

Story by: Mark O’Connor

Photos by: Denae Ayala

Richard Ortiz sits back for a fastball

Seth Sorenson loaded to deliver a pitch

On the last day of February the Cougars baseball team defeated the Antelope Valley Marauders in an unusual walk off.

Tyson Canfield threw one of his best games of the short season surrendering three earned runs, six hits, and striking out five in six innings of work. He did an outstanding job of keeping hitters off balance and getting ahead in the count.

Seth Sorenson came in relief throwing a scoreless four innings and striking out two batters.  Sorenson earned his second win on the season.

 

Coach Defreece tries to settle down Canfield

The Cougars struck first, scoring 2 runs in the bottom of the third inning. Nick Kawano singled home Dayton Wilson and Dominic Tating laid down a sacrifice bunt to score Jayce Gardner.  The Marauders answered back in the top half of the fourth inning with two runs of their own to tie the score 2-2.

After an RBI single by freshman Brandon Stevens in the bottom of the fourth drove in Brendan Halstrom and a home run by the Antelope Valley’s  Zach Diaz in the top of the sixth inning the score was tied 3-3. The scored remain locked until the bottom of the tenth inning when the Cougars cooked up a rally.  

Brendan Halstom crossing the plate

The inning started off with a pinch hit walk by Luke Lubinieki. Lubiniek was out at second as Nick Kawano reached base on a fielder’s choice.  Kawano then advanced to second base on a wild pitch by Marauders pitcher Andrew Garcia. Following the wild pitch Kawano was moved to third base with a ground ball from Dominic Tating. With two outs and a 2-1 pitch Garcia threw another wild pitch that lead to the game winning run for the Cougars.  

Travis Turner drops down perfect bunt

Cougars Rally After Starting Pitcher Ejected

By Mark O’Connor

 

The Taft College baseball team bounced back for a 3-2 home win against the visiting Los Angeles Pierce College Brahma Bulls on Saturday.

The Cougars got out to an early 2-0 lead after Brendan Halstrom drove in Nick Kawano in the bottom of the first. Kawano also scored in the bottom of the third off of Quintin Nakamura’s RBI single.  

Tyson Canfield got the start for the Cougars and threw a total of 3 innings surrendering no earned runs on two hits along with two strikeouts. Canfield was ejected in the top of the fourth inning after drilling two batters and getting into a verbal altercation with Pierce’s third baseman Brandon Lewis. Lewis remained in the ballgame.

Following Canfield’s ejection the Brahmas rallied for two runs due to a throwing error by Cougar second baseman Dayton Wilson.

The score remained 2-2 until the bottom of the 8th inning, when Taft College’s Richard Ortiz doubled in Nick Kawano, who scored all three runs for the Cougars.

Seth Sorenson pitched 5 innings in relief for the win, surrendering two hits but no earned runs, with two strikeouts. Chase Nister came in for the 9th inning save to seal the victory for the Cougars.

Chris Kovach took the loss for the Brahmas, after giving up seven hits, three runs, and striking out six in 7.2 innings of work.

The Cougars travel to LA Pierce on Tuesday to finish up the two-game series between the teams.