"Just a couple of inside-out bloopers" said Central Arizona's Athletic Director Chuck Schnoor on the two hits sophomore starter Ryley Widell gave up in his five innings of shutout baseball.

Throw in 8k's and one walk and it was a lights out five. Fastball tailing and biting low made it impossible to hit, and Central's pitching staff induced bad contact all day, struck out 14 Glendale Gauchos, and took a 9-1 home opening win.

Nick Trogerlic-Iverson struck out two of three in his one, Koa Eastlack fanned three in his two, and Sati Santa Cruz one more in his one. The Central pitching staff gave up just five singles on the day. Remarkable adjustments from Eastlack from the end of his seventh to the end of his eighth, missing high and low for his first three battters, untouchable for his final six.

Makoa Rosario doubled three times and stole a bag, Devin Ray tripled, and Pikai Duque-Winchester drove in two as the Cowboys kept 'em coming at the plate in many different ways. None of Rosario's doubles were bloopers let's just say. Two rips into left and a long slicer to right.

"Whew. Makoa." said Kelly Parsons, watching from the third base fence. "We have some pitching" she added.

Head coach Anthony Gilich pulled a classic with four straight bunt plays in the Vaquero sixth and every time you looked up, another Vaquero was advancing in a different way. That kind of execution had the Gauchos fumbling around the whole inning. 

Andrew Chartrand (above) in the sixth. Perfect.

Notes:

-What's better than pinch runner Nate Soriano stealing a base and then scoring.

-Nifty snag of a liner from Justice Nakagawa at short for the double-off at first in the ninth.

-In five games, Central has an on-base percentage of .473 and an ERA of 2.35

-"Inducing bad contact"-Blade's latest thing. Under-rated and usually unnoticed unless your name is Jerry A'Hearn. Combine "inducing bad contact" with "no contact" and you have a good day.

-Blade

bladestage@gmail.com