-Blade

Contributing Writer-Vaquero Baseball

(Signal Peak)-"The hardest thing to do in sports" I was told by an umpire once in a mens 45+ baseball league game in the Arizona Mens Senior Baseball League.

"Playing down" he said.

I thought about it for a moment and didn't COMPLETELY agree, but I saw his point.

As a team, it really is very difficult to get up for a game when you're playing the last place team as Central Arizona College did twice on Saturday.

Conversely, it is quite easy for the last place team to get up when you're playing a conference power as Central is.

There shouldn't be any raised eyebrows when you see the final in game one of the doubleheader that saw a total of five hits and a final of 1-0. Afterall, the Gila Monsters seemingly give Central fits, it took two walk-offs last year to beat them.

You gotta find a way, and good teams do, as the Vaqueros scored one run with only two hits, but rode a Tyler Woessner three-hitter in the game one shutout of Eastern Arizona. In the bottom of the second, Ashtin Webb hit a fly to shortstop which got lost in the noonday sun, and Webb hustled to second base, where he was driven in on a line drive single to center by Blake Davila.

And that was it!

Vinnie Lagatta starts his hustle to second base on a liner double to right in game one.

"He's hitting well, playing a great third base, we bumped him up into the two hole" said head coach Anthony Gilich of Lagatta.

Woessner won his fourth start of the year striking out ten batters in seven innings with unhittable third strike pitches, zero freebies and weak contact all game long.

"We knew their guy was strong, we saw him last year (Alan Aguero), and Woessner is strong so we knew every hit and run would mean something".

Game two was a different story as Central took ten walks, "we'll take 'em" continued Gilich and doubled twice, singled nine times and were hit by two pitches to collect a 15-1 second game run-rule win for the sweep.

Lead off hitter Ryan Ball had three hits with a run scoring double, Kiko Romero doubled, singled, and walked twice driving in three runs on the day.

Central picked up an an early six in the first with a collection of four walks and two HBP's.

"When you get six to start, you can play more loose, more free" said Gilich.

Lagatta walked three times in game two, and pesky Jaylen Rae singled, hit a sacrifice fly, stole two bags, and walked.

"It was one of his better games" Gilich said of game two starter Tyson Heaton, he threw a very clean five, with the Monsters one run being unearned, and struck out seven.

Home for two, one Tuesday and one Wednesday with Gateway Community College at McSwain Field. Central is 8-2 in conference play, one half game behind Arizona Western.