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CSN squanders opportunities in loss to CSI
BY DAN CABRERA
Thursday, May 7, 2009
 CARSON CITY – The College of Southern Nevada baseball team opened up the NJCAA Region 18 Baseball Tournament on Thursday without head coach Tim Chambers.
They also opened up the tourney without solid defense and a productive offense, and both of those factors hurt the second-seeded Coyotes in their 3-2 loss to third-seeded College of Southern Idaho at John L. Harvey Field.
Chambers was serving a one-game suspension for an ejection for arguing balls and strikes in the second game at Salt Lake last Friday. Instead of heading to the ballpark with his team, he spent the afternoon listening to the internet broadcast of the game from his hotel room.
Southern Idaho (32-22) opened up the scoring in the top of the 2nd when Victor Spencer belted a solo home run over the left field fence, just out of the reach of CSN left fielder Jordan Keegan – who leaped above the fence and nearly made an incredible catch.
CSI added another run in the 3rd inning on a two-out RBI single by Tyler Chism, scoring Andy Fox to give the Golden Eagles a 2-0 lead.
The Coyotes' first opportunity to score came in the fifth inning. Daniel Higa was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to force in a run, but Robbie Garvey hit a laser to third base and lined out to the third baseman to end the threat.
 Sam Armstrong came out of the game in the sixth for CSI after tossing a perfect game for 3 2/3 innings. Following the pitching change, the Golden Eagles turned an amazing 5-4-3 double play to end the inning.
CSN tied the game at 2 in the seventh when Higa lined an RBI single into right field with two outs to score Justin Mishalow, who had reached on a dropped fly ball by Chism to start the inning.
Southern Idaho answered back in the eighth with a two-out RBI single of their own. Trent Johnson smacked a 1-2 pitch up the middle to score Chism and give CSI the lead for good.
The Coyotes were able to get the tying run to third base in both the eighth and ninth, but were unable to score.
Chism went 3-for-4 with an RBI to lead the Golden Eagles. Higa finished 1-for-3 with two RBIs for CSN.
Tyler Curtis (9-2) earned the win in relief, going 3 1/3 innings and allowing an unearned run on two hits. Chism came in from right field to record the final out and his first save of the season.
Smith (4-6) went the distance and took the loss for CSN (35-19), striking out eight and walking one while allowing two earned runs on seven hits.
With the loss, the Coyotes will face Salt Lake Community College at 1 p.m. Friday. The Bruins outlasted Eastern Utah in Thursday's nightcap, winning 8-7 on a solo homer by Ryan Bernal in the top of the 10th inning.
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