Doubles allow Dons to tie up Brahmas

BASEBALL.
Game date: Saturday, February 11, 2012.

Sophomore first baseman Konnor Armijo tags Brahmas’ DH Cody Despain on a Garrett Wilson pick off attempt.

Sophomore second baseman Trevor Magno hit by the pitch in the 7th inning against visiting Los Angelese Pierce College.

Sophomore shortstop Andy Peterson crushed a breaking ball to left field in the fourth inning, driving two runs and giving the Dons the lead for good.

“I was kind of expecting the curveball. It wasn’t really a strike,” Peterson said. “I just played a little pepper. We’ve been working on playing pepper in practice.” Pepper, said Peterson, referring to quick, hand dominated swings.

Sophomore pitcher Garrett Wilson threw seven innings, scattering three runs on four hits in the Dons 7-3 victory Saturday over visiting Los Angeles Pierce.

“We got good pitching today. That is the reason we won,” Head Coach Don Sneddon said. “We got some timely hitting but we could have easily scored eight or nine runs just by putting the ball in play with a runner at third, but it didn’t happen.”

The Brahmas knocked Wilson around for two runs on two hits in the first.

“After the first inning I was able to get the ball down and let the sink do the job,” Wilson said. “The first few innings it was up and it got hammered.”

Wilson settled and breezed through the next six innings.

“I had to think about my mechanics and I figured out that my body was out in front of my arm,” Wilson said. “So I just had to relax, keep it low and get after it.”

In back-to-back innings, the third and fourth, centerfielder Dylan Jones and Peterson socked two-out, two-run doubles.

“We don’t want to get into that situation, but I’ll take them when we get them,” Sneddon said.

Jones tied the game at two when he laced the ball into the right center field gap.

“My approach was looking fastball and then adjusting to any off-speed. He showed his off-speed early. I got two strikes and it was just a battle,” Jones said. “Saw the pitch over the plate and did what I do with it. Smack it to the fence and score two runs to get us back in it.”

Freshman right-hander Matt Blanchard struck out the side looking to close out the game.

“His addition today was pretty fun to watch. We needed something like that to finish on a positive,” Sneddon said.

The Dons (4-1) play Tuesday, on the road against San Diego Mesa.