-Blade contributing writer Central Arizona Baseball beat

(Signal Peak) -

Central Arizona came back from a 3-1 opening game loss in the best-of-three regional finals Friday afternoon with a 9-4 victory over Cochise Community College.

The series is tied at a game apiece with the Saturday nooner winner advancing to the District finals starting next week.

Four runs right out of the gate in the bottom of the first.

"It gave us a moment to exhale" said the head coach.

Kiko Romero hit a sacrifice fly, Dusty Garcia doubled in a run and scored on an Ashtin Webb inside-the-park-homerun. The Webb homerun was a laser into centerfield that got by the diving centerfielder and rolled to the palm tree in center.

What a start.

In the bottom of the second, leadoff hitter Ryan Ball hit one over the right field fence off Apache starter Evan Shaw to get things rolling with a 5-0 lead.

In the meantime, Vaquero starter Matt Wilkinson started his first-ever college game and did his thing keeping Cochise hitless through the first three innings until third baseman Aaron Marsh lifted one over the right field fence in the top of the fourth. 

Wilkinson has been a starter his whole baseball life until this year so you just know what was going through his head when he got the nod.

Did he disappoint?

No.

He went seven and two-thirds giving up two runs in an elimination game, and striking out nine with his remarkable command.

"Guys must love love playing behind him" a fan commented.

"He works fast and throws strikes."

"He's got a great breaking ball" said another fan.

"He's got movement" said yet another.

Hey man, he's "Tug".

What a day for Jaylin Rae again at the plate, something he's been doing all year, just beating the ball everywhere. He doubled in two runs down the left field line in the eighth completing a three-for-five day with four rbi's. He also singled in two with bases full in the bottom of the fourth to give Central a 7-1 lead.

Ball walked three times in the lead-off spot, was hit by a pitch and scored twice, and third baseman Devon Dixon doubled and scored.

When head coach Anthony Gilich walked out to bring on Sam Rochard and relieve Wilkinson, it was a happy yank, job done when his team really needed it. You could see how happy he was walking back to the congratulatory dugout.

The deciding game is at noon Saturday and the winner heads off the to District Finals starting Thursday at a location to be determined.