CCSN wins series opener vs. Southern Idaho

Friday, May 9, 2003 | 11:05 a.m.

The fourth time was the charm for the CCSN baseball team Thursday night. After leaving the bases loaded three times without scoring, the Coyotes broke through in the bottom of the ninth to defeat Southern Idaho, 7-6, in the first game of the best-of-three NJCAA Region 18 championship series at Lied Field.

The Coyotes are ranked ninth in the nation by the NJCAA and can advance to the district championship next week in Coolidge, Ariz., by winning today's 7 p.m. game or, if necessary, a 1 p.m. rubber match Saturday.

Trailing 6-4, CCSN (47-8) loaded the bases for the fourth time in the game in the bottom of the ninth inning, but this time the tables turned. And the Coyotes, who mustered a 12-hit attack against the visiting Eagles, moved one victory away from advancing.

A passed ball allowed Calvin Beamon to score from third to make it 6-5, with pinch-runner Sean Havens advancing to third and Jason Ruiz to second. Mike Ruiz then tied the game with a hot single up the middle that deflected off shortstop Casey Oliver's glove.

That scored Havens with the tying run, and when the ball was mishandled in center field, Ruiz raced home with the game-winner.

It was Cruz's third hit of the game and gave him three runs batted in.

Mike Minor improved his record to 6-1 in relief of CCSN starter Jino Gonzalez. Gonzalez was victimized by his defense and left in the sixth inning on the short end of a 3-1 score, but only one of the runs scored against him was earned.

Minor was touched up for three runs in the sixth and seventh after replacing Gonzalez, but he settled down and kept the Eagles off the scoreboard the rest of the way. Gonzalez and Minor combined to limit Southern Idaho to six hits.

Southern Idaho fell to 32-16 with the loss.