Coyotes split double header at Tyler JC

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March 1, 2013

Coyotes split double header at Tyler JC

Anonymous Weatherford Democrat The Weatherford Democrat Fri Mar 01, 2013, 06:53 AM CST

Staff Report

Weatherford College baseball head coach Jeff Lightfoot trotted five Coyotes pitcher to the mound in the first of a two-game set played at Tyler Junior College on Wednesday.

The changes were ultimately effective, as WC ended the Apaches’ sixth-inning rally to win the front of a double header, 7-5.

Outhitting Tyler 11-9, the Coyotes put a crooked number on the scoreboard in the top of the second, making Tyler pitcher Zach Aitken pay for a pair of free passes. After three consecutive singles netted two runs, Trooper Reynolds’ 2-out, bases-loaded double scored two more runs and chased Aitken from the mound. WC allowed an unearned run in the bottom frame, but starter Jacob Stone shut out the Apaches for the next four innings, and collected the win for WC.

Weatherford put together three more runs in the sixth, with RBIs from Connor Vandeveer (3 for 5 hitting) and Paxton Delagarza (2 for 4). They needed the insurance, as Tyler answered with four runs in the bottom half. WC reliever Dustin Emmons turned off the faucet, throwing 14 pitches, a dozen of those strikes, and collected the save.

In the 9-inning nightcap, Tyler’s Jacob French went the distance on the mound, allowing a pair of runs in the second inning, but no more, as the Coyotes fell, 6-2.

Rebounding with three runs in the bottom of the second, TJC added another three in the sixth, with WC struggling at the plate against French. Erik Garcia had an RBI for the Coyotes.

The Coyotes return to Roger Williams Ballpark on Saturday for another 7/9-inning set with TJC, beginning at 1 p.m., and will be the final non-conference game before kicking off North Texas Junior College Athletic Conference (NTJCAC) play at Temple on Wednesday. The conference-game scheme for the season will be consecutive double headers with two games at home and two games away. NTJCAC games will be played on Wednesdays and Saturdays.