Two-out hitting lifts hot Bulldogs
Two-out hits are generally crucially to any baseball team's success.
On Wednesday, Centennial turned two-out hitting into an art form.
The Bulldogs went 12-for-18 with six walks, two hit batsmen and 11 RBIs with two outs on their way to a 13-8 home win over Arbor View.
"We preach let the ball get to you, and hit it where it's pitched," Centennial coach Charlie Cerrone said. "Early on in the season, with our inexperience, we weren't allowing that to happen. Lately, we've just been getting lucky."
After starting the season 3-8, including losing their first three games of Northwest League play, the Bulldogs (12-8, 8-3) have rattled off nine straight wins, scoring 115 runs.
"It's a combination of the approach and gaining some varsity experience," Cerrone said. "The guys who didn't play much (last year) are starting to get a little more confident."
And the offense got clicking early Wednesday.
With two outs and the bases empty in the second inning, Centennial put nine consecutive batters on base, scoring eight runs.
An infield single by Drake Sacenti started the uprising. Ian Ogurek followed with a wind-blown bloop single to center. Two walks, sandwiched around an infield hit by Keith Krueger, tied the score 2-2 and loaded the bases.
Casey Moses blooped a two-run double to shallow right, and Chapman Schmidt drilled a three-run homer to center field. After Bryan Bonnell was hit by a pitch, Bruce Lewallen stroked an RBI double to left-center.
The Bulldogs tacked on two runs in the third and fourth innings and one in the fifth.
Moses went 4-for-4 -- all with two outs -- with two doubles and three RBIs, and Ogurek, the No. 8 hitter, was 4-for-4 with two doubles, an RBI and three runs.
"We've had a hard-working group of guys, and Ian is one of the hardest workers," Cerrone said.
P.J. Gonzalez was 3-for-5 with a double, two runs and an RBI for the Aggies (11-6, 5-4), and Ryan Chen went 2-for-3 with four RBIs.
Contact reporter Bartt Davis at bdavis@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5230.
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WEDNESDAY'S HIGHLIGHTS
BASEBALL
Western's Daniel Buzzard hit a two-run double in the seventh inning in an 8-7 home win over Clark.
Bishop Gorman's Joey Gallo was 3-for-5 with three homers and six RBIs in a 24-10 road win over Desert Oasis.
Coronado's Jordan Kingsley was 3-for-4 with a grand slam and six RBIs in a 20-10 home win over Wooster.
SOFTBALL
Palo Verde's Melissa Lacro tossed a five-inning one-hitter and struck out 11 in a 19-0 win over visiting Mojave.
Spring Valley's Georgi DeLio was 3-for-5 with two home runs and four RBIs in a 10-5 victory at Pahrump Valley.
Centennial's Heather Bowen was 3-for-3 with a home run and two RBIs in the Bulldogs' 13-2 home win over Arbor View.
