Ed Petruska-Contributing Write PInal Central Sports

SIGNAL PEAK – A late-season resurgence carried the Central Arizona College baseball team to the Arizona Community College Athletic Conference championship and the No. 1 seed in the Division I Region 1 tournament.

The Vaqueros (46-10) will take on fourth-seeded Yavapai (36-17-1) in this week's best-of-three semifinal series at CAC's McSwain Field. Games 1 and 2 are Thursday and Friday at 2 p.m. Game 3, if necessary, starts at noon on Saturday.

After losing four straight following a 20-game winning streak, Central trailed ACCAC leader Arizona Western by four games with eight remaining. The Vaqueros swept a home doubleheader from the Matadors on April 16 -- ending AWC's 20-game winning streak -- then split with conference also-rans South Mountain and Eastern Arizona before overpowering Yavapai 15-5 and 15-3 (both were run-rule victories) on April 30 to close the regular season.

Central wound up with a 29-9 ACCAC record to finish two games ahead of Western (43-13 overall), which lost its final eight, and Cochise (41-15). Yavapai went 24-14 in conference play.

CAC coach Anthony Gilich said winning the conference was not necessarily the Vaqueros' primary goal following twin losses at Pima on April 9 and at Cochise on April 12.

"We just wanted to play well," he said. "At the end we came out with the top seed, which we feel good about."

The Vaqueros went 4-1 against Yavapai during the regular season, winning a neutral-site nonconference game on Feb. 5 and splitting a March 5 doubleheader at CAC. Each team has different strengths.

"We're built a little different, which makes it fun to compete," Gilich said.

Central led the 14-team ACCAC with a 3.09 team ERA, a .970 fielding percentage and 477 runs (8.5 average). The Vaqueros ranked second in home runs with 60 and fifth in batting average with a .298 mark.

The Roughriders finished first in the conference in batting average (.330) and home runs (72). They scored 416 runs (7.7 average), which was third best in the conference, and were No. 5 in fielding percentage (.958) and No. 6 in team ERA (4.62).

Keeping Yavapai's potent offense in check will be vital for the Vaqueros, ranked No. 10 in the latest NJCAA poll, as they look to advance to the May 12-14 Region 1 championship series.

"We have to play clean and limit their extra outs," Gilich said.

One of Central's lesser-known offensive strengths is drawing walks. The Vaqueros led the ACCAC with 312, 39 more than Western's next-best total.

"We get a lot of baserunners that way," Gilich said. "We're usually batting with guys on. Hopefully we can cash in on our hits and score some runs."

CAC had three players named to the all-ACCAC first team and three selected to the all-ACCAC second team. Gilich was named ACCAC coach of the year.

The first-team picks were pitcher Tyler Woessner, first baseman Kiko Romero and outfielder Jaylin Rae. Romero and Rae also were Gold Glove winners.

Woessner, a right-hander who is the likely starter in Game 1, is 8-2 in 13 starts with a 2.82 ERA. He has struck out 91 and walked 18 in 67 innings. Romero is batting .354 – tied with Rae for the team lead – and also has a team-best 13 homers, 56 RBIs and 15 stolen bases. In addition, Romero has 18 doubles and a team-high four triples. Rae has 34 RBIs and 12 steals.

Named to the all-conference second team were starting pitchers Shane Spencer and Tyson Heaton – both right-handers-- and second baseman Ryan Ball. Spencer is 10-1 in 13 starts with a 3.90 ERA, 88 strikeouts and 14 walks in 62 1/3 innings. Heaton is 7-2 in 14 appearances (13 starts) with a 3.71 ERA, 82 strikeouts and 18 walks in 68 innings. Ball is batting .316 with 11 home runs and 40 RBIs.

Blake Avila has 48 RBIs and Chase Valentine has 46 for the Vaqueros. No. 4 starter Patrick Steitz is 8-3 with a 3.68 ERA, 50 strikeouts and 18 walks in 51 1/3 innings.

Drew Sommers (1.82 ERA) has three of CAC's nine saves. The relief corps also includes Matt Wilkinson (1.38, two saves), Daniel Davila (1.23), Liam Evans (2.13), Jasiah George (2.21) and Sam Rochard (2.66, two saves).

Yavapai outfielder Sean Rimmer was named ACCAC player of the year. He led the conference in batting average (.405) and home runs (18) and was second in RBIs (68).

The probable Game 1 starting pitcher for the Roughriders is right-hander Nathan Ward (9-1, 3.15 ERA with 72 strikeouts and 25 walks in 71 1/3 innings).

Joining Rimmer on the all-ACCAC first team for Yavapai was second baseman Travis Warrinner (.358 batting average, five homers, 36 RBIs).