Olsen with "probably his best outing" all year in 9-7 first game loss against Yavapai.
Olsen with "probably his best outing" all year in 9-7 first game loss against Yavapai.

Pitching Blanks Scottsdale Twice-Vaqueros Tied For Conference Lead

The Vaqueros blanked Scottsdale Community College twice on Friday night to sweep a conference double-header with scores of 1-0 and 5-0.

Your first thought is about some outstanding pitching.

And yes it was.

Your second thought should be...Nostradamus scheduling.

Yes it was.

With at least an inch of rain possible on Saturday for the away-home single game weekend series, it was decided both games should be played up north on Friday night and the rain came a few hours later. 

With the two shutouts, talk continues about dominating Central Arizona College pitching, as they lead the NJCAA with a 2.15 ERA in DI with teams that have at least ten games under their belt. 

(Please, no slight to Mesa Community College who sits at a very nice 2.05 as DII)

It was Mat Olsen in game one, throwing the full seven, striking out eleven batters, walking just one and giving up three hits.

You really have no shot when you're seeing your batters continually walking back to the bench after leaving the batters box.

In game one with the 1-0 final, third baseman Tyler Kelly reached on a third baseman error in the fourth inning, and scored on the only REALLY clutch hit of the game from Preston Godfrey, a single up the middle.

After an error and passed ball in the bottom of the seventh with Central up 1-0, Scottsdale had the tying run on third with no out.

Please sit down sir.

And you too sir. Thank you.

Olsen whiffed the next two, got a pop-up to first, and that's the game.

"We really put Olsen in a spot at the end, but he stepped up and pitched his way out" said the head coach Anthony Gilich.

"Two big conference wins on the road. The wind made it a really hard day to hit for both teams all day, but our pitchers did a phenomenal job of not allowing a run all day."

It was Ky Bush (getting stronger and stronger) in game two, throwing six and two thirds, Johnny Rice (also getting stronger) finished up the final two and a third. Rice struck out five and left Scottsdale hitless. Bush struck out seven and walked a whopping zero for his fourth win, tied for the national lead.

"Bush and Rice did an exellent job of throwing strikes and challenging their hitters. Kiko (Romero) came up with a two-out rbi double to right center for us and (Eric) Mast got a pinch-hit two RBI single in the ninth" Gilich continued.

Godfrey added a double.

Two solid wins.

Central moves to 5-1, tied for first in conference record and has four games this week, a home-away with Gateway and a big doubleheader at home against Arizona Western on Saturday.