February 13, 2017
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.
