Mesa Legend - Sports - Thunderbird squad drops pair to Coyotes

Thunderbird squad drops pair to Coyotes
Nick Kosmider
Mesa Legend
Valentine’s Day showed little love for the Mesa baseball team as the Thunderbirds dropped to Chandler-Gilbert Community College, 3-2. The loss came a day after the T-bird’s 10-4 loss at the hand of the CGCC Coyotes.

For eight innings Mesa managed only one hit, a slow-rolling infield single. Thunderbird hitters were stifled all afternoon by the strong pitching of Chandler-Gilbert’s Derek Riley.

Major League scouts were on hand taking note of the young right-hander who was reaching 90 on the radar guns. Riley kept Mesa hitters guessing all afternoon long and fanned batters throughout the MCC lineup. In his eight innings, Mesa could only come up with one hit.

Silent through most of the game, Mesa hitters came alive in their last at bat in the ninth inning. Trailing 3-0 with two outs, the Thunderbirds started to put together their first string of hits. After two MCC hitters reached base with singles, Scott Payne lined a single of his own to load the bases for MCC’s Anthony Reveles who was walked to score Mesa’s first run of the ball game.
Following the walk by Reveles, the relief pitcher for Chandler-Gilbert balked, scoring outfielder Joe Dispensa.

With Mesa trailing by a run, Dominck Gamboa came to the plate with runners on 2nd and 3rd and a chance to tie the game. Gamboa battled to a full count before striking out looking to end the game.

Mesa’s only other serious scoring threat came in the sixth inning as they loaded the bases with two outs. The Thunderbirds though, failed to push a run across the plate as catcher Connor Lewis flew out to right field to end the threat.

The Thunderbirds, who have won the ACCAC will hit the road to play Arizona Western in a doubleheader on Feb. 20 and then host Yavapai on Feb. 24.