HENDERSON, Nev. (April 3, 2026) — The College of Southern Nevada baseball team opened its three-game ACCAC series with Yavapai College in dramatic fashion Friday afternoon, manufacturing a run in the bottom of the seventh to secure a 2–1 walk-off victory at Morse Stadium.
The win moves the Coyotes to 28-6 overall and 13-3 in ACCAC play as they take game one of the series, with game two scheduled for later in the day.
In a game dominated by pitching and defense, runs were at a premium throughout the afternoon. CSN managed just two hits, but timely execution on the basepaths and a clutch late-game sequence proved to be the difference.
CSN struck first in the bottom of the second inning without recording a hit.
Caden Kirby worked a leadoff walk and immediately applied pressure on the bases. Kirby stole second, advanced to third on a balk, and then came home on a groundout by Jake Gorrell to give the Coyotes a 1–0 lead.
That would be all the offense for either side through the middle innings, as both starting pitchers settled into a rhythm.
James Bradford delivered a standout performance on the mound for CSN, working 6.2 innings while allowing just one run on four hits. Bradford struck out eight and consistently limited Yavapai's ability to generate sustained offense, keeping the Roughriders off balance with a mix of command and tempo.
Yavapai's James Rule matched Bradford inning for inning, allowing just two runs on two hits over 6.2 innings while striking out seven.
The Coyotes' defense also played a key role, turning a double play in the second inning and executing cleanly behind Bradford to maintain the narrow lead.
Yavapai finally broke through in the top of the seventh.
Matthew Peterson led off the inning with a double and later came around to score on an RBI single by Revan Maduro, tying the game at 1–1 and setting up a tense finish.
CSN turned to Andrew Kaplan out of the bullpen, and the right-hander delivered in a key moment, recording the final out of the inning with a strikeout to keep the game tied heading into the bottom half.
The Coyotes wasted little time responding.
Kirby again sparked the offense, leading off the inning with a single to center field. He promptly stole second, and after a popout, advanced to third on a flyout by Joseph Randazzo.
With two outs and the game on the line, Kirby made the decisive play.
Breaking for home on the next pitch, Kirby successfully stole home, sliding in ahead of the tag to give CSN a 2–1 walk-off victory and ignite the home dugout.
Kirby finished the game scoring both runs and was a constant disruptive presence on the basepaths, tallying three stolen bases including the game-winner.
Jase DeSantis recorded CSN's other hit, while Harvey Smerdon and Alex Rhynes contributed on the basepaths as part of a team effort that emphasized speed and situational execution.
Despite being outhit 4–2, the Coyotes capitalized on key opportunities and executed in high-leverage moments, particularly in the opening and closing innings.
The game highlighted CSN's ability to win in multiple ways — combining strong pitching, disciplined defense, and aggressive baserunning to secure a tightly contested victory.
The two teams will return to Morse Stadium later today for game two of the three-game series.
For complete schedules, statistics, and updates, visit www.csncoyotes.com
