COD (1-2) collected their first win of the 2017 season and did so in dramatic fashion, as they scored five runs in the bottom of the seventh and held on to a huge win over the Irvine Valley Lasers (1-3), 7-6.

The Lasers opened up the 7th annual David Buttles Memorial Tournament by scoring a run in the top of the first, a run in the top of the second, three more runs in the top of the third and another run in the top of the fourth, before the Desert pitching staff knuckled down and stopped the Irvine Valley offense cold. 

Then the Roadrunners offense went to work at Ted Hamilton Field. Freshman designated hitter Jerred Soriano (Honolulu (HI) Moanalua) led off the fifth with a single to center and came around to score on a freshman short stop Allan Dong (Honolulu (HI) Kalani) triple to center, getting Desert onto the board. After a strike out, sophomore center fielder Travis Tanaka (Honolulu (HI) St. Louis) crushed a triple, scoring Dong and getting the Roadrunners to within four, 6-2.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, Dong would lead off the inning with a single and was moved over to second on sacrifice bunt by sophomore second baseman Dominic Velasquez (Palm Desert Xavier Prep). Dong would eventually score on a double to center, halving the score at 6-3. After a wild pitch put Tanaka at third base, a pop out to the catcher and a walk, freshman first baseman Quinton Bidon (Enumclaw, WA) snagged one of his two hits on the day, when he clobbered a single to left scoring Tanaka.

A passed ball would hold Bidon at first and move freshman pinch runner Joseph Thibodeaux (Palm Desert H.S.) to third. The next batter walked to load the bases with two outs. Back-to-back singles proved to be the undoing of the Lasers as sophomore left fielder Jason Nall (Playa del Rey St. Bernard) and Soriano both brought runners home, giving Desert their first lead of the game, 7-6.

The top of the eighth proved to be interesting as a leadoff walk was erased when the next batter popped out and the ensuing batter hit into an unassisted double play by Bidon at first base.

The top of the ninth was far more interesting as the Lasers would load the bases and after an out at home plate for the second out, a line out to right ended the game, as sophomore right handed relief pitcher John Carlile (Santa Ana Foothill) took care of the last two batters to collect his first save of the season.

Dong would go 2 for 3 with two walks in the lead off role, grabbing two runs and a run batted in and Tanaka would go 3 for 3 with a walk, two RBI's and a run scored in the win.

Bidon went 2 for 5 with a run scored and an RBI and Soriano, in the nine hole, went 2 for 4 with a run scored and an RBI on the afternoon.

Photo by Brian Sylva (COD SID)
Information, Photos & Story provided by COD Sports Information.