COD (5-16; 3-2) took a big three-run third inning and made it stick as the home side held off the Mt. San Jacinto Eagles (3-19; 0-8), 3-1.

Freshman right handed starting pitcher Jake Mesa (La Quinta H.S.) had another tremendous outing on the mound, tossing seven complete innings, only surrendering one run, which was earned, walking one and striking out seven for his first win of the season. Freshman second baseman Jerred Soriano (Honolulu (HI) Moanalua) went 2 for 4 with a run scored and freshman first baseman Quinton Bidon (Enumclaw, WA) also went 2 for 4 on the afternoon. Bidon was called upon as a reliever and grabbed a five-out save for his second of the season, tossing an inning and two thirds, striking out three. 

The Roadrunners hit the scoreboard first with a three run outburst in the bottom of the third inning as Soriano led off the inning with a single to left. Sophomore center fielder Travis Tanaka (Honolulu (HI) St. Louis) would reach on a bunt single at the Eagles pitcher, only to have that player chuck the baseball into right field, putting Soriano and Tanaka on second and third base with no outs.

Stepping to the plate, sophomore left fielder Jason Nall (Playa del Rey St. Bernard) crushed his sixth double of the season into center field scoring both Soriano and Tanaka and giving the Roadrunners a 2-0 lead. Sophomore right fielder Trenton Covel (Palm Desert Xavier Prep) would bring home Nall on a single to center, giving Desert a 3-0 lead.

Mesa put the Eagles in fits all afternoon, but in the top of the sixth a lead off hit by pitch eventually came back to haunt the Roadrunners starter, as a one out double would bring that runner home, with Desert holding onto a 3-1 lead. 

In the top of the eighth, Desert brought in sophomore right handed relief pitcher Riley Owen (Tumwater, WA) to wrap up the game, but after a collision at first base while Owen was attempting to cover the bag, he couldn't find home plate. When a hit by pitch loaded the bases with one out, Owen's day was done and Bidon made the walk from first base to the mound. In what could have been a catastrophic inning for the home side, Bidon struck out the side to put out the fire.

Photo by Britney Vargas (COD Sports Information)
Information, Photos & Story provided by COD Sports Information.