Box Score The #7 nationally ranked College of Southern Nevada Coyotes took on the #15 nationally ranked Yavapai College Roughriders in the winner's bracket of the Western District Playoffs
 
By Harrison Howard/csncoyotes.com
May 15, 2015
 
Las Vegas, NV- Both the CSN Coyotes and the Yavapai College Roughriders won their first game of the Western District Tournament yesterday and advanced to the winner's bracketto face each other.  The winner of the matchup between these two nationally ranked teams, will advance to the championship bracket Saturday.  The loser on the other hand, won't be eliminated from the tournament just yet, due to the double-elimination style of the Western District Playoffs.  The Roughriders have had a tremendous season thus far, holding a 43 and 16 record after defeating the Salt Lake Community College Bruins 12 to 8. 

The CSN Coyotes have had a fantastic season as well, posting a 45 and 16 record thus far.  The Coyotes defeated the Trinidad State Junior College Trojans in their first game of the Western District Tournament, 15 to 7.  The use of aluminum bats for the playoffs have definitely help charge both of these team's offenses.  Projected first round pick in the upcoming Major League Baseball amateur draft this June, Phil Bickford, will get the start and the difficult task of slowing down the the Yavapai College Roughriders' bats in the fourth game of the Western District Playoffs. 
 
Bickford's counterpart this afternoon for the Roughriders is, freshman starting pitcher, Jake Kolterman.  Kolterman threw a quick two innings, without allowing a baserunner aboard.  Phil Bickford seemed right on track as well, throwing three shutout innings, striking out five batters and only allowing one walk.  The first hit of the game came with one out in the bottom of the third inning from Coyotes starting catcher Reece Lucero, who doubled down the right field line.  Shortstop Cain Brady earned the first RBI of the game with a single up the middle, giving the Coyotes the first lead of the game, one to zero.  After Tyler Brown advanced Brady to second base with a ground out to first base, Jesse Keiser hit a single up the middle of his own, increasing the Coyotes lead to two to zero.
 
Phil Bickford pitched another perfect inning in the top of the fourth inning, striking out two more batters, increasing his strike out total to seven on the day.  Kolterman followed up his rough third inning with a three up, three down inning of his own in the bottom of the fourth.  Bickford struck out two more batters in each of the fifth and sixth innings, without allowing a baserunner aboard.  The Coyotes lead off the bottom of the sixth inning with an infield single and a walk, but were unable to capitalize.  They ended the inning without scoring a run, keeping the score at two to zero in favor of the Coyotes.  Phil Bickford continued his trend in the top of the sixth inning striking out the side, improving his strikeout total to 14 in the game. 
 
After Bickford struck out the first batter in the top of the eighth inning, the Roughriders got their first hit of the ball game with a double to right center field from the bat of designated hitter Alexis Cruz.  Bickford got the next batter to fly out to right field, but he wasn't able to keep Marco Jaime from earning the second hit of the game for the Roughriders.  Jaime singled to right field scoring Cruz, and finally putting a run on the board, making this a one run game.  Jaime was Bickford's last batter he faced and was replaced by relief pitcher Alec Hutt.  Phil Bickford threw seven and two thirds innings, allowing two hits, two walks, one run scored, while tying his single game strikeout record with 15.  Hutt shut down any two out rally ideas the Roughriders had, getting the next batter to fly out to right field. 
 
But the Yavapai College Roughriders bounced right back in the top of the ninth inning with a two out RBI double off the center field wall, from starting first baseman Austin Paschke, tying the game at two runs a piece.  Later in the inning, Hutt loaded the bases with an infield single to third and a walk, before hitting a batter, which scored the third run of the game for the Roughriders, giving them their first lead of the ball game.  The Yavapai College Roughriders tacked on two more runs with a seeing eye single to the left side of the field from Marco Jamie.  Hutt was able to get the final out of the inning, but the damage was done and the Yavapai College Roughriders took a five to two lead entering the bottom of the ninth inning. 
 
The Roughriders' starting pitcher Jake Kolterman attempted to finish the game, but after hitting the first batter with a pitch and a bloop single down the left field line, he was replaced in the top of the ninth inning by relief pitcher Nicko Ortega.  Ortega instantly shut down the rally the Coyotes started by getting Jose Verdugo to ground into a double play and striking out Reece Lucero, ending the game.  The final score was Yavapai College Roughriders five and the College of Southern Nevada Coyotes two. 
 
With the victory, the Yavapai College Roughriders advanced to the championship bracket, where they will just have to win one more game to claim the Western District Tournament Championship and advance to the NJCAA Junior College World Series.  The CSN Coyotes will play against the Trinidad State Junior College Trojans, who they defeated yesterday 15 to seven.  The winner advances to the championship bracket to face the Yavapai College Roughriders tomorrow at noon, where either team would have to defeat the Roughriders twice to advance to the NJCAA Junior College World Series.  The first pitch is scheduled for tonight at 7:00 pm, so make sure to come out and support your CSN Coyotes!
 
For the latest news, the complete 2015 Coyote postseason baseball schedule, including the Western District Playoff Tournament, and more of my articles covering each playoff series, please visit www.csncoyotes.com.  Follow us on Twitter @CSNCoyotes, for live scoring updates and in game tweets.