ANAHEIM – The Canyon offense set the tone early in Friday’s Century League game against El Dorado.
In the first inning, the first three batters reached base. John Zanze drove in the first run with a sacrifice fly and Greg Firman followed with a two-run single.
By the time the dust had settled, the Comanches (8-4, 6-1) had 12 runs through the first five innings, on their way to a 12-0 victory over the visitng Golden Hawks (6-7, 3-5).
“Our goal and I think what we’ve grown from the start of the season is competing every inning,” Canyon coach Matt Morris said. “We try to compete every inning and put pressure on the pitcher, just by having quality at-bats, inning after inning.
“Since the start of the season, we’ve got a lot better at that just by having good focus and trusting the guys behind each other.”
Canyon scored three runs in the first, third, fourth and fifth innings. Jordan Gillerman reached base three times and scored each time. Chris Prescott scored four runs and Zanze had four RBIs and also scored three runs. Each starter had at least one hit for the Comanches.
The beneficiary was junior starter Spencer Clift. Clift (2-1) allowed five hits, two coming in the seventh inning with two outs, which earned him a visit from the pitching coach.
“It was looking a little shaky at the end, two straight hits, but that’s baseball,” Clift said. “They’re a great team. I felt great on the mound and I just wanted to keep going.
“I was feeling great after we got the first three runs. I felt like we were going to keep piling on.
Clift had a simple approach on the mound.
“Just throwing strikes and letting my defense work,” he said. “I’m not a strikeout guy, I’m more of a contact guy. I was just trying to put the ball in the strike zone and let my defense work.”
He had two strikeouts and walked two.
“He wanted the ball and we wanted to let him get the complete game,” Morris said. “He’s really worked hard and he’s earned it.”
Austin Fresquez took the loss for El Dorado.
The Comanches defeated the Golden Hawks, 5-4, Wednesday. The teams will meet again, April 29 at Canyon.
Canyon has three consecutive league victories, but now enters a busy stretch with four over the next five days, as they head into the Beach Pit Classic.
El Dorado turns its attention to the National Classic, beginning on Monday.
Contact the writer: dcalhoun@ocregister.com
