(Coolidge - AZ)

All the fun was over after the first inning Saturday.

For us fans anyway.

And by fans, that means the pro scouts and the media.

And believe me it was a fun first inning.

"I don't think I've ever seen one of those" said the head coach Anthony Gilich.

"That's the first one I've ever been a part of."

In that first inning, shortstop Zack Stewart ripped a shot over the Gateway Community College centerfielders head with bases loaded and never stopped running until he touched home plate for an inside the park grand slam homerun.

Central Arizona walked and hit their way through the lineup for a nine-run first inning on their way to a 17-2 win with Gateway in town for two games.

Central won a closer-than-the-score-indicated first game of the set on Friday afternoon with a final of 8-4.

The Vaqueros, despite scoring 17 runs on Saturday, only recorded nine hits on the day, but amassed 16 walks.

"We got hit four times too" said the head coach almost chuckling.

Again, this was not a fun baseball game to watch after the first inning, Gateway couldn't get anything going at all offensively and since CAC was busy walking sixteen times, there wasn't much cracking of the bat.

This team will not swing if it's a ball.

Period.

Leo Palacios fireballed through three innings striking out five with nobody seemingly making any contact at all, and after his three today, still has not given up a hit in his 8.1 this year.

Leo Palacios (above) bullies Gateway Community College in the second inning Saturday.

In the 17-2 win Saturday, Vinnie Lagatta tripled, had two other hits, scored three times, swiped one bag, and knocked in three, Tyler Griggs also scored three times, and Hayden Seldomridge and catcher Ryan Grabosch each walked three times. JD McLaughlin added a double.

To close out the Geckos, Shane Spencer struck out five in two innings, Cristian Sanchez whizzed by his three batters, striking out all three, Liam Evans threw two and Drew Sommers closed out this one.

In Friday's 8-4  win, starter Matt Olsen (2-0)  finally gave up his first hit of the year and threw a decent two innings. The other three starters in the "so-far" pitching rotation came in for two apiece.

Tyler Woessner, Daniel Davila (2-0), and Hunter Omlid finished off Gateway.

Total: 17 strikeouts.

Central Arizona College pitching is fourth in the nation JUCO with 14.58 strikeouts per 9 innings.

Second baseman Dayton Dooney hit his third triple of the year and Griggs hit a three-run homerun, his first, and is hitting .421 currently.

Watch all of Friday's game right here.

https://boxcast.tv/view/2-19-21-vaqueros-vs-geckos-e8zp9uip1k9xgtcraudt

Saturday Photo Gallery

-Blade