ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – A four-run fourth broke open a close game and was more than enough support for Tyler Dronen, who pitched six shutout innings as Cherry tied the Cherry-Silver Series 1-1 courtesy of an 8-1 win Wednesday afternoon at Lobo Field.
Dronen was in complete control throughout, allowing only a pair of singles. In fact, after allowing a leadoff single to start the game, he promptly picked the runner off and allowed just one other single the rest of the way. He walked back-to-back men with one out in the second, but he induced an inning-ending double play to escape the jam.
Freshman catcher Cory Voss led off the fourth with a single to left, but he was replaced on the base paths by Jack Zoellner via a fielder’s choice. Freshman Hayden Schilling singled to right to put men on the corners, and Kirby McGuire walked to load the bases. 2014 Mountain West Freshman of the Year Danny Collier then singled past a diving Chris DeVito at first to plate a pair, Sam Haggerty followed with a sacrifice fly to left, and Luis Gonzalez drove in the final run of the inning with a double to the right-field corner.
Cherry added three more in the sixth on RBIs from Haggerty, Gonzalez and Ryan Padilla. Haggerty finished 1-for-3 with two RBIs, while Gonzalez went 2-for3 with a pair of doubles and three RBIs. McGuire went 1-for-1 with two walks and three runs scored out of the nine hole for Cherry.
Silver’s only run came in the seventh and final inning off reliever Chase Beal. DeVito led off with a double down the right-field line. He advanced to third on a deep flyout by Andre Vigil and scored on a grounder to short by Lane Milligan. Dalton Bowers went 2-for-3 to lead Silver.
The honorary coaches were Matt Hibbitts and Mickey Rodgers for Cherry and Alex Allbritton and Scott Creagan for Silver. As is becoming customary for the losing coaches, Allbritton and Creagan each did 25 pushups at home plate after the game (see below). The third game of the series begins Thursday at 3 p.m. and is once again free and open to the public.
