A Coyotes sweep will clinch playoffs spot

Tuesday, April 25, 2006 | 8:23 a.m.

A month after sustaining a huge hit, via a forfeiture, the Community College of Southern Nevada baseball team has the Scenic West Athletic Conference playoffs in its cross hairs.

The Coyotes split a four-game series at Salt Lake City over the weekend to improve to 9-43 and 7-29, last in the seven-team Scenic West. Sixth-place Colorado Northwestern (11-35, 6-24) went 0-4 against Western Nevada last weekend.

Monday, CCSN coach Tim Chambers was grateful for the help from his in-state rival. Late last week, Chambers had a brief conversation with Western Nevada coach D.J. Whittemore.

"I jokingly told him, 'If you don't sweep, don't plan on coming here for preseason tournaments. You can stay home in the snow,' " Chambers said. "He laughed. He said, 'OK, deal.' "

Western Nevada, in its first season, is 29-15 and 23-9. Southern Idaho (34-10, 23-7) leads the Scenic West, and Dixie State (29-9, 23-8) is mixed in the tight race for first. The top six teams will play in the playoffs.

CCSN plays two doubleheaders at Colorado Northwestern, in Rangely, Colo., this weekend. If the Coyotes get a sweep, they'll clinch the last playoff spot.

"Now it's all in our hands," Chambers said. "Everything has fallen into place for us, like we hoped. Now we just have to win games."

Even if the Coyotes lose one at Colorado Northwestern, Chambers said the odds favor CCSN. The other six teams finish the regular season next week, and Colorado would need to sweep Eastern Utah to finish sixth in the league.

"And I don't think they've swept anyone in their history," Chambers said of Colorado Northwestern. "Things are looking better now than three weeks ago, and I couldn't be more proud of my players."

The "Comeback Coyotes" have eked back into the playoff picture without Bryce Massinari, one of their best hitters, who has been out with a broken foot, and Andy Jangard, another offensive threat, who has been sidelined with an elbow injury.

"All the chips were on one side, against us, a month ago," Chambers said, "but these (darn) kids just keep grinding."

At Salt Lake City, CCSN won its first games on Friday and Saturday, 2-1 and 3-1, respectively. On Friday, sophomore catcher Dane Ponciano hit a key two-run homer.

Saturday, Craig Heyer, a sophomore right-hander from Scottsdale, Ariz., sparkled by throwing a 70-pitch complete game. Two weeks ago, Heyer shut out Dixie in Utah. Heyer started 1-4, which knocked him out of the rotation for a week to regroup.

"He's been the big thing for us," Chambers said. "He's back doing what we expected him to do. He's won his last four starts, and it's nice to have him back in form."

Infield flies

"Everyone else will try to win the league while we're resting," Chambers said. "Everyone's pitching will be short, except for us. That doesn't guarantee us (anything), but we couldn't ask for a (better situation) with what we've had to go through."

In a random audit, the NJCAA deemed that CCSN had been using two ineligible players because some of their classes started after the start of the semester.

.969

CCSN's team fielding percentage, best in the conference.

316

How many batters Coyotes' pitchers have struck out, most in the league.