It was a bit nippy as they say Saturday morning at the spacious yard when the cage started popping at 7:30. El Paso Community College was in town and the Central Arizona Vaqueros were at it early as always for an 11:00 DH start.

By first pitch it was 71 degrees and freshman Colin Ashworth's first pitch was a ball. He threw a few more after that for a semi slow start but "he threw a great game despite not having his best stuff" said Head Coach Anthony Gilich. This was Central's fifth starter in five games and he left after a nice five innings not allowing a single run and only giving up two hits. Kamalu Neal from Hawaii and Enrique Cardoza saw their first college action and tossed the last two innings to help the Vaqueros to a 7-1 win in game one.

MJ continued to beat the baseball with three hits (one off the fence in left), Josh Ethier, Chris Kobar (proud Grandpa in attendance in his folding chair in the shade), Caleb Henderson, and Tim Hergert added two more for a total of 13 hits on the day in the 7 inning first game. 

The Vaqueros fell behind in the second game and were kept off balance by the EPCC starter  until Cooper Esmay hit a 2-run homerun that just clipped the left field foul pole. Soph Connor Noble was the sixth starter in six games (now THAT is firepower), and threw 6 solid innings. In the top of the eighth with the score tied 3-3, sophomore infielder and pitcher Cody Erickson left a man on third with no one gone and that was the biggest moment of game two.

Maybe.

It went to extras tied at three and after a leadoff double by MJ Hubbs in the 11th, Cooper Esmay laces a single to left for the walk-off win. What a way to end a doubleheader. What a day for Cooper Esmay who had three of the four Vaquero ribs in game two. Central sweeps with a 4-3 win in 11.

Ben Nelson threw the final three giving up one single and did not allow a run for his second win. It's difficult to find a hero when there are so many stories. After six games, the Vaqueros stand at 5-1 with total team play so far, just what any coach would want, and just what the head coach planned.

Central has gone four straight games without an error.

What's up Coach?

"What a special day."-HC Anthony Gilich

That's what's up.