CCSN soaking up atmosphere in Grand Junction

Thursday, May 29, 2003 | 10:52 a.m.

A look at how CCSN has fared at the Junior College World Series: Saturday Seminole (Fla.) 7, CCSN 6

Sunday CCSN 14, Connors St. (Okla.) 3 (5 inn.)

Monday CCSN 12, Indian Hills (Iowa) 6

Tuesday CCSN 10, Spartanburg Meth. (S.C.) 0

Today CCSN vs. San Jacinto-North (Texas), 6:30 p.m. (PST)

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. -- Calvin Beamon has been awed by how well the Community College of Southern Nevada has been received at the Junior College World Series.

The Coyotes started out in a hole by losing their first game, to Seminole (Fla.) College on Saturday. Since then, CCSN has been a hit because of how it has hit the ball all over Suplizio Field in three consecutive victories.

"It's crazy," said Beamon, the only Colorado native on CCSN coach Tim Chambers's roster. "Everyone is so hospitable. They do treat us like kings. We're waited on hand and foot."

Even during an informal batting practice late Wednesday morning at a sandlot about three miles from the team's Mesa Inn headquarters, officials of the local Rotary Club, CCSN's sponsor, were there to offer the Coyotes sports drinks.

The Rotarians have also staged a barbecue for the club, and the support at Suplizio has been tremendous. "You'll have anywhere from 4-year-olds to 80-year-olds coming up to you and asking for your autograph, telling you, 'Good game,' " Beamon said. "The whole atmosphere of the stadium is something that's having an effect on me."

The Coyotes are a hit when they hit like they did Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, scoring a combined 36 runs on 37 hits in beating Connors State, Indian Hills and Spartanburg Methodist.

In those games, CCSN hit .430 and slugged at a .733 clip. It mercy-ruled both Connors and Spartanburg with at least a 10-run lead by the fifth inning.

"People have been talking about the Texas teams (Grayson County and San Jacinto-North) and how well they can swing it," said Coyotes center fielder Justin Sibley. "But then you have to look at us. We can swing it pretty well, too."

CCSN (53-10) will start ace Jabe Beard against San Jacinto-North (51-11) tonight at 6:30 (PST) for a spot in Saturday night's championship game.

Sibley, the Coyotes' lead-off hitter, and designated hitter/catcher C.J. Ebarb have led the hit parade. Sibley has gone 8-for-13, with six runs and six RBIs, in the tournament, while Ebarb is 7-for-13, with eight runs and six RBIs.

Beamon (6-for-15), Mike Cruz (5-for-14) and Sean Kazmar (6-for-16) have supported the onslaught. Sibley (twice), Ebarb, Cruz and Sutton have crushed home runs during the three-game winning streak.

After using wood bats all season, the Coyotes adjusted to aluminum when they won the metal-only Western District title that qualified them for the World Series.

Ebarb predicted that the barrage will continue, as CCSN continues to get into a groove with the aluminum bats. "We'll probably get more hits and score more runs," he said.