Clutch single off the bench from Luke Schwartz in Thursday's 7-3 win over Cochise in Region I first game.
Clutch single off the bench from Luke Schwartz in Thursday's 7-3 win over Cochise in Region I first game.

Central takes Cochise again and takes 1-0 lead in best of three

Douglas AZ - Fairly quietly, the Central Arizona Vaqueros are a game away from 40 wins and have won eight games in a row, the eighth being the first in a best-of-three in the Region I play-offs. An eight game winning streak won't get you in any record books, but it does speak volumes when it comes down to when that eight game winning streak occurs.

If you had to pick a time, you'd probably pick the end of the season.

Injuries and tweakings and let-downs and surprises and slumps and hot streaks....all of that.

Through all this "who-knows-WHAT-we-have"...the Vaqueros coaching staff and players have put something together here at the most exciting and tense time of the year.

"Avery (Jones) had a good start and Zane (Strand) threw very well. Good all-around game" said the head coach Anthony Gilich. 

"We had some clutch hits from (Ian) Raidy, Hoguie and (Luke) Schwartz. The defense turned two big double plays" he continued.

Side question: As a pitcher myself in the men's 45+ MSBL of Arizona, I always ask myself, what really is a pitcher's best friend? A double play or your catcher throwing out a guy stealing that you just walked.

Moving on.

The coach's wrap-up included it all, pitching, defense and hitting, all things that have been done very well here at the end of the season.

In game one, Matt Aribal laid down a sacrifice bunt and added a sacrifice fly, Hunter Jump stole one and walked three times, so you can add the little things that everyone loves in baseball too.

Jones threw a great five innings giving up only three hits and two earned runs, and Zane Strand finished 'er up with no earned runs in the final four.

And who has been more steady than Ernny Ordonez and Zach Hogueisson all year? Ordonez hit his seventh homer and Hoguie hit his 17th double of the year. Ian Raidy drove in a clutch two with a base hit and Luke Schwartz drove in yet another with a clutch single off the bench.

You have to say that Cochises' back is to the wall.

Game two is at their place today at 2:00PM.

-Blade

Contributing Writer Vaquerosports.com