HENDERSON, Nev. (May 9, 2025) — The Region 1 Baseball Championship will come down to a decisive third game after #3 seed Central Arizona College stunned the #1 seed College of Southern Nevada Coyotes, 7-0, on Friday afternoon at Morse Stadium. The shutout loss drops CSN to 46-12 on the season, while Central Arizona improves to 40-17 and forces a winner-take-all finale scheduled for Saturday at 12:00 p.m.
The Vaqueros rode a dominant pitching performance from starter Jace Hergert (8-2), who held the Coyotes hitless through five innings and allowed just one hit across eight scoreless frames. He struck out six, walked five, and threw 143 pitches before handing the ball off to reliever Mason Harrison, who closed the game with a clean ninth.
CSN's offense, which erupted for a walk-off win the day before, was unable to generate momentum against Hergert's sharp command and heavy fastball. The Coyotes mustered only two hits: a fourth-inning single from
Roy Durham and a ninth-inning single up the middle by Tommy Garritano.
The Vaqueros wasted no time getting on the scoreboard. In the top of the first, Central Arizona loaded the bases with three straight singles. Although CSN starter Caden Frey nearly escaped with a double play, one run still crossed the plate to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.
Central Arizona added a second run in the fourth inning, capitalizing on a defensive miscue after a two-out RBI single from Isaac Haines plated Aiden Gianni, who had reached on an error and stolen second base.
Frey (8-2) worked into the sixth inning but was tagged for four runs—only two of them earned—on 10 hits while striking out five. A leadoff solo home run by Gianni in the sixth extended Central Arizona's lead to 3-0, and the Coyotes unraveled defensively with back-to-back errors that led to a fourth run and chased Frey from the game.
CSN's bullpen struggled to contain the Vaqueros in the eighth. After a pair of singles and a sacrifice bunt, Eric Rulli smashed an RBI double to the gap in left center. Zach Wadas followed with a single to right to score Rulli, stretching the margin to 7-0.
Meanwhile, the Coyotes squandered one of their best chances in the bottom of the fourth. After a leadoff single by Durham and a fielding error allowed two runners aboard, a wild pitch advanced both into scoring position. However, Central Arizona escaped unscathed when Kody Smaka walked and Brady Swanson flied out to right, stranding the bases loaded.
The Coyotes again loaded the bases in the ninth after a single by Garritano, followed by a hit-by-pitch to Swanson and a pinch-hit HBP to Matthew Ramirez. But Harrison induced a lineout and a fielder's choice to squash CSN's last opportunity and seal the shutout.
CSN committed three errors—two by shortstop Harvey Smerdon and one by Durham at first—that led to multiple unearned runs. Offensively, Smerdon and Ashton Zacher both went hitless, while Swanson and Ramirez were hit by pitches but left stranded.
On the other side, Central Arizona's offense was efficient and deep. Eight of the nine Vaquero starters recorded hits, with shortstop David Ballenill going 3-for-6 and Rulli driving in a pair. Gianni's home run and two runs scored led the way, while Haines collected three hits and added an RBI.
With the series now tied 1-1, the Region 1 Championship and a berth in the NJCAA Western District Tournament will be decided Saturday at noon at Morse Stadium. The Coyotes will look to rebound behind a recharged pitching staff and a lineup hoping to rediscover its spark after being blanked for the first time since March.
The series finale promises to be a tense battle between two perennial NJCAA powers with everything on the line.
REGION 1 CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES - GAME TWO SUMMARY
FINAL: Central Arizona 7, CSN 0
Winning Pitcher: Jace Hergert (8-2) – 8.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 6 K, 5 BB
Losing Pitcher: Caden Frey (8-2) – 6.0 IP, 10 H, 4 R (2 ER), 5 K
Offensive Leaders – CAC:
- David Ballenill: 3-for-6, 2 R
- Aiden Gianni: 1-for-5, HR, 2 R, RBI
- Isaac Haines: 3-for-5, RBI
- Eric Rulli: 2-for-5, 2B, RBI
Offensive Leaders – CSN:
