Central Arizona started the completion of a suspended March 7 game against Arizona Western on Friday fourth in conference play, and when the day was over, the Vaqueros switched with Western into third.

The Vaqueros are now two and a half games out of hosting a playoff series in second place, three and a half out of first, with nine games left. A very very exciting two weeks just ahead, with Cochise, Yavapai and South Mountain DH's.

With the second game of the March 7th DH in Yuma suspended after four innings at 0-0, Central started as visitor at home in Coolidge in the top of the fifth with Will McAffer replacing Ryley Widell. Widell had thrown a scoreless first four innings with eight K's and one hit given up. The Vaqueros banged out four runs in the top of the sixth, added two more in the top of the seventh and won the makeup game 6-1.

McAffer gave up only three hits and won his sixth game (6-3).

Pikai Duque-Winchester, Brent Bailey (pictured), and Andrew Chartrand all had two hits and it was another good team day at the plate.

In the day's second game, Grant Townsend got the start and he steam-rolled through yet another team with a 7 inning complete game. He struck out seven, walked one, and gave up one unearned run. The final was 5-1.

You go back and think what pitching coach Jerry A'Hearn always says.

"I want our pitchers to give our hitters a chance to win the games for us."

You can start with striking out 10.94 batters per nine innings which Central does. You can throw in giving up only seven homeruns in 47 games. Townsend is now fifth in the nation (NJCAA) with 92 strikeouts in 70 innings. Ridiculous. His ERA of 1.92 has him as 11th. He leads the ACCAC in ERA and wins. 

Central Arizona has three of the top four conference strikeout leaders in Townsend, Peyton Remy and Widell.

Again, Central poked and poked, with doubles from Justice Nakagawa and Roger Varela, Jake Vander Wal scored twice, and both catchers Ty Johnson and Chris Diehl hit SAC flies. 

It's never said but it should be. A SAC fly is as good as a hit. Sure you want a double, but the feeling the batter and the dugout gets is just the same.

Nice start for Central for the stretch with two wins on Friday and another big game Saturday at noon with Western Arizona at the Big House.

-Blade