Coyotes run-rule top seed in second game of JUCO World Series

(Photo courtesy of Bennett Media GJ)

Shared from the Weatherford Democrat

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – The Weatherford College Coyotes continued their post-season surge, toppling the No. 1 Central Florida Patriots Monday night for their 20th straight win.

"I'm proud of my team. That's a good team in the other dugout, and I'm just excited to come out and play well," WC head coach Jeff Lightfoot said in his post-game interview.

Weatherford jumped out early in game 10 in the Alpine Bank Junior College Baseball World Series.

Weatherford (52-9, 2-0) got on the board first as Jack Arthur hit his second home run of World Series to left center to make it 1-0 Coyotes. Joey Baran would make it 2-0 on a long single to right field scoring Robin Villeneuve. Dayton Tockey would make it 4-0 on a home run to left field.

Central Florida (52-7, 1-1) got on the board in the bottom of the second inning as Kainen Jorge scored on a wild pitch by Coyote starter Robert Fortenberry. It was 4-1 after two.

In the bottom of the third, Juan Correa would cut the lead to two on a crushed ball over the left field wall to make it 4-2. Weatherford would follow in the next half inning with a six spot. Three of those runs were courtesy of a three-run home run by Kevin Duran onto the seventh hole of the Lincoln Park Golf Course. It was 10-2 after four.

Weatherford made it 11-2 on a Duran home run to center in the fifth inning.

"Unreal," Duran said, describing his performance during the post-game press conference. "I couldn't have written it any better. I've been dreaming about it in the hotel, in the cages, at home since the season started.

"It's a moment I'll never forget."

Villeneuve led off the top of the sixth with a monster shot past the TV trucks in the parking lot to push it to a 10-run advantage. The Coyotes would add one more run to make it 13-2 on a throwing error by the Patriots.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, John Marant extended the game with a two-RBI single to right. Villeneuve would hit an RBI single to right to push the lead back to 10 in the seventh inning for the Coyotes, 14-4. Central Florida added two in the bottom of the inning on a two-RBI single by Cole Bullen but it would not be enough to overcome the run rule ending of the game, 14-6.

Lightfoot acknowledged the play of Tockey and Duran as part of an "explosive" offense that was able to capitalize with runners on base.

"It's what our line-up has done over the past 50, 60 games," he said. "We've had contributions all over the line-up."

Weatherford will have Tuesday off and play in game 15 on Wednesday against the winner of Wabash Valley (IL) and Blinn (TX). Central Florida will play an elimination game Tuesday against Delgado (LA) at 2 p.m.