What a fun start to this two game series.

On Tuesday afternoon with the temperature at 80, Gateway Community College got lead-off hitter Ryan Ball in the first inning, but then Vinnie Lagatta and Kiko Romero yanked homeruns on consecutive at bats into right field for a 2-0 lead, and Central took it nine innings with a 4-3 win.

Tyrese Johnson drove in a fourth inning run to tie the game at three in a "very good baseball game" as head coach Anthony Gilich called it.

Starter Shane Spencer struck out four and gave up two runs in his two inning outing and everyone but game two starter Patrick Steitz threw two innings in each game (Tuesday and wednesday).

"We needed to get our bullpen some work, needed to get everyone in, we have depth on the mound so we made sure they got their work" said Gilich.

It's tough to get bullpen work when the first game of mostly all doubleheaders is seven innings.

In the first game, Davis Spencer, Sam Rochard, and Evan Harmon each threw a solid two, and Daniel Davila finished the top of the ninth with the save.

In the bottom of the eighth, Lagatta and Romero each singled with no outs, then Ashtin Webb scored Lagatta with a hit to left to get Central ahead at 4-3.

Tuesday's final was 4-3.

In Wednesday's game, starter Patrick Steitz won his fourth by throwing a solid three innings, giving up just one hit and holding Gateway scoreless. From there it was, Jasiah George, Cody Brooks, and Liam Evans (pictured) throwing two scoreless innings apiece in the 7-0 shutout.

Ryan Ball hit his team-leading sixth homerun in the eighth inning, also doubled, drove in three and scored twice, Jaylin Rae went two for three and upped his team-leading batting average to .353.

Rae was on three times hitting ninth with a single, double and walk, and that is a great way to have a leadoff hitter (Ball) get three rbi's in a game. Rae scored all three times.

Rae had started the season 0-20.

(pause for effect)

Since the 0-20 start, he has been 18-31 for a .581 clip, reminding everyone of the fall he had.

Romero and Griggs each stole a bag, and it turned out to be a fairly quiet game with a final of 7-0.

There's a monster doubleheader this week-end at McSwain Field as the Roughriders from Yavapai travel south to avoid snow and wind with 38 degree temperatures.