By Kaila Morales |Staff Writer|
CSUSB’s baseball team was able to clinch a spot in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Tournament after winning two games out of their four game series against Cal State L.A.
The Coyotes started the series off with a doubleheader on May 5 in Los Angeles.
Right-handed pitcher Tyler Wells got the start for game one. Over six innings, he gave up a total of eight hits, allowed four unearned runs and struck out five batters.
Being down 1-0 the Coyotes were able to tie the game at 1-1 in the fifth, off of a sac fly by infielder Jake Caron.
Infielder William Ouellette was able to give the Coyotes the lead in the sixth with a RBI groundout to second, scoring outfielder Ryan Rich.
The Coyotes lead was erased when the Golden Eagles came back to score three unearned runs in the sixth.
They added three more runs over the seventh and eight innings. CSULA took game one 7-2.
Game two had a better outcome for the Coyotes as left-handed pitcher Don Sullivan, who threw a total of six innings, got the start.
Sullivan gave up six runs off of 10 hits and was later replaced by relief pitcher Ouellette, who struck out a total of three batters to earn the win.
Infielder Brian Lockey was able to get things going early, knocking a two-run single in the first.
With the bases loaded, Ouellette and infielder Grant Buchanan were able to score to give the Coyotes a 2-0 lead.
Lockey was advanced to third on a wild pitch, leaving catcher Ryan Cooper to add another run, making it 3-0.
CSULA broke the Coyote’s 3-0 lead by adding two runs in the second.
The Coyotes added to their lead when Rich singled and then advanced to second on an error, allowing Lockey to score.
Cooper and Rich, who both earned RBI’s in the fifth, helped extend the lead to 6-4.
CSULA was able to bring in two runs in the sixth to tie the game at 6-6, but they were again shut down by Lockey who hit a home run in the seventh to get the Coyotes the 7-6 win.
“Coming into the series I kind of felt like I was on a hot streak, during my at bats when I get a good pitch to hit, I don’t miss it,” said Lockey.
On May 6, the Coyotes took game three to Fiscalini Field where they earned an 8-4 victory over CSULA.
Right-handed pitcher Brian Conley got the start. He then was replaced in the third by right-handed pitcher Noah Simon.
Coyotes down 4-3, Simon retired the next nine batters he faced, only giving up two hits in a total of four innings.
Lockey was able to key in another seventh inning homer for the second straight game, along with an RBI.
“All in all it was a team effort, yes hitting home runs [is] awesome, and helped us win but we also had to do a lot more as a team to win,” added Lockey.
Two-run doubles from Infielder Dylan Lohman in the second inning and Ouellette in the fourth accounted for most of the runs.
“When the final out was recorded a little bit of relief went through my head like “we did it!” said Ouellette.
“It’s my first time going to playoffs in six years, so I am also extremely excited to be going,” added Ouellette.
Outfielder Damion Edmonds, who went 4-for-4, earned an RBI single. Caron also had an RBI single for the Coyotes.
With this 8-4 win, the Coyotes were able to secure a playoff spot in the CCAA tournament.
The Coyotes wrapped up the 2016 regular season in their final face off against CSULA with a 13-0 loss on May 7.
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