Peoria's Patrick Steitz was on the typical early season pitch count in the Championship game of the Central Arizona hosted Zinger tourney and got a full six innings in to get his second win.

Throwing strikes is a key to gettting more innings in with a pitch count.

"Yeah, he didn't throw a whole lot of pitches, he threw a lot of strikes. New Mexico can really hit and he kept them off balance. Great job" said the head coach Anthony Gilich.

Central scored five runs early and continued to sting the ball all afternoon but couldn't score any more.

"Well, we actually did a great job of hitting, even though didn't score. We hit balls hard but this is a good team and they made great plays all day,

The final was 5-3 Central, and they win all four tight games in the Zinger tournament at the Chicago Cubs spring residence, Sloan Park at Riverview in Mesa.

"These first eight games (first four in Nevada), make the toughest stretch of games against good teams that I can remember" said Gilich.

"Three extra inning games and five tight games. We came up against great pitching. I said...'ok let's go.'"

Central won 'em all.

The MVP of the Championship game was Central's Ashtin Webb who homered for the second straight game, driving in two runs and scoring twice.

Logan Valencia continued to hit hard balls and doubled, shortstop Chase Valentine also doubled.

When Steitz was removed, relievers Evan Harmon and Drew Sommers gave up one harmless run, and Sommers got the two-pitch save with a little pop to third.

Conference play begins this week-end at The Big House, and there's a mid week game in Coolidge as Phoenix College travels here for the 2:00PM matinee.

OK, here we go.