COD (5-15; 2-2) sent 17 batters to the plate in the top of the 7th as Mario Ramirez clobbered his first homer of 2020 and snagged four RBI's, giving the Roadrunners a huge win over the Victor Valley Rams of Victorville (3-12; 1-2), 13-6.

The Rams would get onto the scoreboard first, in the bottom of the second, when a bases loaded walk, led to a bases clearing four base error by the Desert left fielder, and when the dust settled, Victor Valley had a 6-0 lead.

After that six run outburst by the Rams, the Desert pitching staff clamped down. Guided by sophomore catcher Trey Ladner (La Quinta H.S.), the Roadrunners posted zero after zero on the scoreboard, chasing Victor Valley away from home plate.

The Roadrunners would add a run in the fourth when sophomore right fielder Bryce Osman (Anna-Jonesboro, IL) scored on a single to right by sophomore center fielder Joshua Hernandez (Palm Desert H.S.), getting Desert to within five, 6-1.

Then the flood gates exploded open in the top of the seventh for the visitors from Palm Desert. The Roadrunners would send 17 batters to the plate in the inning and the bases were loaded six different times. The Rams would use three pitchers in the inning to stem the tide, but Desert just kept scoring.

In the top of the eighth, sophomore third baseman Mario Ramirez (Rancho Mirage H.S.) crushed his first home run of 2020, giving the Roadrunners a 13-6 lead.

Sophomore designated hitter and leadoff batter Phillip Dimas (Tanque Verde, AZ) went 2 for 4 with a run scored and a run batted in and Hernandez went 2 for 5 with a run scored and two RBI's on the afternoon.

Sophomore second baseman Christopher Burke (Temecula Valley) went 2 for 5 with a pair of runs scored and an RBI and Ramirez went 3 for 5 with three runs scored and four RBI's.

Freshman left fielder Clayton Smith (Yucca Valley H.S.) went 2 for 6 with a run scored and freshman shortstop Spencer Dickinson (Rancho Mirage H.S.) went 2 for 5 with a run scored and two RBI's.

Freshman right handed starting pitcher Brandon Goodpaster (Yucca Valley H.S.) had four innings pitched surrendering six runs, three earned on nine hits, walking two and striking out one in a no decision. Freshman right handed relief pitcher Taishin Matsushita (Kofu (JPN) Kofu Senior H.S.) grabbed his second win of 2020, tossing five complete innings of shutout baseball, striking out six and only giving up three hits.

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For additional information, please contact the COD Sports Information Office at 760.423.6641.

Information & Story provided by COD Sports Information. Photo by Michael Leone Photography (f8leone@yahoo.com).