CCSN seeking some postseason success

Steve Addy

Tuesday, May 7, 2002 | 10:01 a.m.

In only three seasons, impressive won-lost records have become old hat to the Community College of Southern Nevada baseball team. Solving the postseason riddle hasn't been quite as easy.

After losing their last four games and finishing third in the 11-team Scenic West Athletic Conference, the Coyotes (41-15) will take another stab at postseason success Wednesday in the NJCAA Region 18 tournament at St. George, Utah.

Third-seeded CCSN will play sixth-seeded Ricks College (22-26) at 1 p.m. in the first round of the four-day double-elimination tournament at Dixie State College. The champion will advance to the District round May 17-18, hosting the Arizona Region 1 winner in a best-of-three series for a berth in the Junior College World Series on May 24-29 in Grand Junction, Colo.

CCSN's season record compares favorably with its debut mark of 47-10 in 2000 and last year's 52-9, but neither previous season ended well. The Coyotes lost in the Arizona region each time.

Having joined the SWAC this season, CCSN compiled a 28-12 league record, trailing only Dixie State (33-7, 41-8 overall) and College of Southern Idaho (30-10, 39-14). Dixie is No. 1 in the nation and CCSN 20th, but the Coyotes will probably fall from the poll this week. Four weekend losses at Southern Idaho (4-3, 5-1, 10-1, 5-1) cost CCSN the No. 2 seed.

"The last two years we went into the regionals on a roll and didn't make it out. Maybe we'll do better coming in the other way," Coyotes coach Tim Chambers said. "If I'm reading the guys right, we're going to respond well. If we get timely hitting, we can beat anybody in the country."

There are reasons for optimism. CCSN won three of four meetings with Ricks in the regular season and also won three of four against Dixie in March. However, the Coyotes would have to win a potential second-round matchup with Southern Idaho, against whom it is 0-5.

"Our guys would like a chance to show (Southern Idaho) that we're better than we played there last week," Chambers said. "It was one of those series where everything they hit found a hole and we were hitting it right at people."

The Coyotes have a balanced offense with good speed and enough power to tie for the league lead in home runs (24, in the wood-bat SWAC). Center fielder Andrew DeAngelo, the leadoff hitter, leads the club in batting (.391), hits (63), runs (60) and steals (32). First baseman John Caruso has 40 RBI and five homers, both team-highs, and left fielder Landon Minear has 39 RBI.

Left-hander Jake Vose (8-2, 2.66 ERA) will start Wednesday, and Chambers will likely come back with right-hander Derek Rodriguez (4-5, 2.39) Thursday. Josh Kerschen (7-1, 3.83) has been coming out of the bullpen lately, but might rejoin the rotation this week if needed.