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Centennial gets its scoring out of way quickly, cruises to win over Silverado

The Centennial baseball team faced three Silverado pitchers in the first 2 2/3 innings on Friday, each with his own distinct style.

It didn’t matter to the Bulldogs’ hitters.

Visiting Centennial struck for all its runs in the first three innings and coasted to a 7-2 victory over the Skyhawks.

“We got the lead and kind of held on,” Bulldogs coach Charlie Cerrone said. “The first three innings, we did enough to get some runs and work some counts.”

Tanner Wright went 2-for-4 with two runs and a stolen base to spark No. 10 Centennial (14-6), which sent 10 batters to the plate and scored four runs in the third inning.

Cooper Powell put the Bulldogs up 4-1 with a single to right field that scored Wright, and two batters later, Will Loucks’ two-run double to left gave Centennial a 6-1 lead. After Josh McKibbin walked and Jacob Horton singled, leadoff hitter Ricky Koplow was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to give the Bulldogs a six-run cushion.

Centennial was held to one hit in the final four innings by four Silverado relievers, but the damage was already done. The Skyhawks (10-9) used seven pitchers in all as they prepared for next week’s spring break tournament in California.

Bulldogs starter James Harbour allowed two runs on seven hits and worked out of trouble in the fourth inning. Silverado’s Dillon Johnson was hit by a pitch with two outs and the bases loaded to make the score 7-2, but Harbour escaped any further damage by striking out Nick Kawano looking to end an 11-pitch at-bat.

“That kept us where we needed to be,” Cerrone said.

Jaycob DelBarrio pitched the final three innings for Centennial, allowing one hit.

Centennial grabbed a 1-0 lead in the first inning, as Wright singled with one out, stole second and scored on Travis Stevens’ double to right-center.

Silverado tied the game in the first when Johnson led off with a single and went to second on a wild pitch before scoring on Kawano’s single.

The Bulldogs regained the lead with two runs in the second. Loucks scored from second on an error, and Horton sprinted home when Koplow deliberately got caught in a rundown between first and second before an 0-and-2 pitch to Wright.

“I think we got complacent,” Cerrone said. “We had two important league games this week and (Powell’s) perfect game (Thursday), and I think there was an emotional letdown. Even with the emotional letdown, we did enough to get the win.”

Contact reporter David Schoen at dschoen@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5203. Follow him on Twitter: @DavidSchoenLVRJ.

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