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By James Hernandez

Conference rivals collided this week in Salt Lake, as the top two teams in the SWAC locked up in a crucial four game series. CSN (7-1 SWAC, 20-8 overall) entered the weekend two games clear of Salt Lake (5-3 SWAC, 9-11 overall) in the standings, with the Coyotes hunting a third consecutive SWAC regular season title.

Todd Danzeisen got the ball in the opener of the series for CSN and was opposed by Trenton Grif for SLCC.

Both starters were inconsistent to open up play, surrendering a combined twelve runs in the first two innings and lasting just 4.1 innings each .

Jordan Macias produced the Coyotes first run in the top of the second, which was directly followed by a Jarrett Perns RBI single that knotted the game up 2-2. Team RBI leader Justin Lutes followed with a bases clearing triple that extended CSN's lead to 5-2. Jason Wallace plated the Coyotes sixth run of the inning one batter later with an RBI single that scored Lutes.

With the game tied 6-6 in the fourth Jarrett Perns broke the tie with his second RBI of the game and Peyton Koopman extended the lead to 9-6 in the top of the fifth inning with a 2 RBI double. Unfortunately for the Coyotes, the bullpen was unable to hold onto its three-run lead.

After the Bruins rallied to get the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the seventh, pinch hitter Tanner Hambl deposited a game winning three-run homer over the right field wall.

SLCC defeated CSN 10-9 in the series opener, dropping the Coyotes to 7-2 in the SWAC and 20-9 overall.

Following a dramatic walk-off loss, CSN sent Herbie Good to the mound hoping to turn the page and get back on the winning side of things.

Good surrendered single runs in the bottom of the first and the third, but was staked to 3-2 lead after a clutch 2 RBI single in the top of the fourth by Joey O'Brien.

CSN's score was answered in the bottom of the inning as the  Bruins rallied to plate four runs and take a 6-3 lead.

A Peyton Koopman single in the top of the fifth plated Justin Lutes to trim CSN's deficit to 6-4 and a two-run rally in the sixth highlighted by a Jarrett Perns sacrifice fly knotted the game up 6-6.

Some clutch relief pitching by both teams kept the game tied going into the top of the ninth inning.

With one out and the go-ahead run standing on second, Joey O'Brien solidified player of the game status with his third run batted in, plating Jay Martz and giving the Coyotes a 7-6 lead.

Timmy Burtzloff earned his first victory of the season by tossing four shutout innings of relief, allowing just two hits and striking out three.

CSN defeated SLCC in game two of the series, improving to 8-2 in conference and 21-9 overall.

After Mother Nature decided there would be no baseball on Saturday both teams resumed play Sunday afternoon with lefty Ben Cutting on the bump for CSN versus SLCC's Parker Hall.

Jason Wallace doubled home Justin Lutes to score the game's first run, but once again the Bruins immediately rallied to retake the lead 3-1 in the top of the fourth inning.

Dillon Johnson produced the Coyotes second run of the game with an RBI groundout in the fourth and Nico Festa tied the game up 3-3 in the sixth, with a single back up the box that plated Cody Milner.

Following a strikeout of Jacob Thurbe in the bottom of the eighth, Cutting was replaced by the freshman Alex Tisminezky. Unfortunately for the Coyotes, the bullpen would provide little relief for the second time in three games.

After hitting Tyler Zupon to put the game-winning run on base, Tisminezky surrendered a game-winning triple to right fielder Kam Lane for the Bruins second walk-off victory of the weekend.

SLCC defeated CSN 4-3 in game three, dropping the Coyotes to 8-3 in SWAC play and 21-10 overall.

With the team in jeopardy of dropping its first conference series of the season, CSN sent Isaiah Blaylock (4-1) to the mound hoping to salvage a split in Salt Lake City.

The freshman came into the game riding a four-game winning streak in which he has been lights out; allowing just one earned run and 11 hits over his last 23 innings pitched while registering 27 K's.

The Coyotes offense was hot early, building a 7-0 lead that was highlighted by a six-run outburst in the third inning that saw ten Coyotes come to the plate.

The lead allowed Blaylock to settle into a groove, allowing three runs and scattering eight hits over 4.2 solid innings of work to improve to 5-1.

Salt Lake rallied to get within two runs at 8-6, but this time the Coyotes bullpen shut the door on the Bruins rally.

CSN held on for the 8-6 victory over SLCC, improving to 9-3 in the SWAC and 22-10 overall.

Fans your Coyotes will be back in action Friday afternoon at "the den" for a weekend series versus the CSI Golden Eagles.

For game times and future opponents log onto www.csncoyotes.com or interact with us on Facebook CSNCoyotes and Twitter @CSNCoyotes.