CSU-Pueblo hands Coyotes first loss, 7-2

Bryan W. Hart had the game's defensive gem and had three hits and two RBI in the loss to CSU Pueblo.

Former San Bernardino Valley College pitching ace Juan Gomez scattered five hits in eight innings on the mound Friday as Colorado State-Pueblo opened its 2008 baseball season with a 7-2 victory over previously-unbeaten Cal State San Bernardino in a non-conference game at Arrowhead Credit Union Park.
A sun-baked crowd of more than 200 fans watched Gomez handcuff the Coyotes batters while the Thunderwolves pecked away at CSUSB ace Matt Long for three early runs and never trailed as they picked up their first win while the Coyotes are now 5-1.
The same two teams will meet at 4 p.m. Saturday at ACUP following a noon game between Cal Poly Pomona and the T-Wolves.
Gomez, who was 11-1 at SBVC last year, struck out four and walked three before leaving the game in favor of Chino's Chris Garcia in the ninth. Garcia yielded a hit but the T-Wolves defense turned a game-ending double play to snuff out any Coyotes hopes of a comeback.
CSUSB was trailing 3-0 in the fourth when the team put together its only runs of the game. Danny Soles led off with a single, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Johnnie Haas. With two out, Gomez walked Chris Olsen and both runners advanced a base on a wild pitch. Senior first baseman Bryan W. Hart then delivered a single that scored Soles and Olsen to make it 3-2.
Hart was the offensive and defensive star of the day for CSUSB, with three of the team's six hits, two RBI. He made the defensive play of the game, diving to his left to stab a hard shot down the first base line and make the putout unassisted. Soles had two of CSUSB's six hits in the contest.
Long (1-1) went 5.2 innings and gave up four runs, three of them earned, while striking out seven and walking three. Michael Leal, Eric Meyerholtz and David Martin finished up on the mound for CSUSB.
Before the game, both teams participated in a special memorial tribute to Ed Wain, a long-time supporter of SBVC and Cal State San Bernardino baseball as well as the San Bernardino Spirit Class A club. John Rozzi sang the national anthem. The program included a tribute by Rich Dauer, former Colton HS and SBVC star who want on to play for USC and the Baltimore Orioles. He is now a coach with the National League champion Colorado Rockies.