YC Baseball Splits on Day One of Zinger Bat Invitational
The No. 13-ranked Yavapai College baseball team split its contests Friday afternoon at the 2022 Zinger Bat Invitational. In game one, the Roughriders defeated Salt Lake Community College 3-0 and fell in game two 7-6 to the No. 14-ranked Coyotes of the College of Southern Nevada. Overall, the Roughriders now move to 4-1-1 on the season.
Game One
Pitching was the story in the Roughriders 3-0 victory over the Salt Lake Community College Bruins in game one. Freshman utility man Ben Zeigler got the start and went five scoreless with six strikeouts and just two hits allowed. Sophomore righty Ben Staiger took the ball from Zeigler and threw four shutout innings with six strikeouts as well and just one hit allowed.
Yavapai, unknowingly, received the game-winning run in the bottom of the first inning when redshirt-sophomore outfielder Sean Rimmer led the game off with a single to left and later scored on a two-out two-run homer off the bat of freshman infielder Alex Ulloa.
In the bottom of the third, YC added an insurance run. Sophomore outfielder Brycen Tambone singled to start the inning and moved to second on a walk from Rimmer. Sophomore infielder Jo Stevens then singled to right to bring in the final run of the contest.
Ulloa led the offense with two hits while Rimmer, Tambone, Stevens and sophomore infielder Kade York all finished with one.

Game Two
Yavapai’s nightcap matchup with No. 14-ranked College of Southern Nevada was a nailbiter all the way until the end.
After a couple of scoreless innings, the Coyotes took a 2-0 lead in the top of the third on a pair of RBI singles.
The Roughriders then rallied in the bottom of the fourth and tied the game up at 2-2 after redshirt-sophomore outfielder Amari Bartee drove in freshman infielder Rocco Gump who doubled to start the inning. After a steal, Bartee scored to tie the game on an RBI single off the bat of sophomore utility man JT Taylor.
In the top of the fifth, CSN scratched another run across for a 3-2 lead but saw the lead evaporate in the bottom of the fifth after Stevens’ sacrifice fly tied things up.
In the bottom of the sixth, YC took a 4-3 lead after redshirt-freshman outfielder Jack Nehls walked with the bases loaded. Yavapai’s lead, however, didn’t last quickly either as the Coyotes pushed four runs across in the top of the seventh.
The Roughriders then cut into the 7-4 lead with a two-run homer off the bat of sophomore utility man Ryland Zaborowski in the bottom of the eighth.
In the bottom of the ninth, the Roughriders brought the winning run to the plate, however, the Coyotes held them scoreless and brought the final score to 7-6.
On the mound, YC pitchers allowed just three earned runs while striking out 17 Coyotes. Sophomore righties Nate Ward, Matt Bachelier and Ethan Bell all logged four strikeouts while freshman lefty Justin Hanson tallied five in just two innings of work.
At the plate, Ulloa, Bartee and sophomore catcher Alton Gyselman each had two hits while Rimmer, Gump, Taylor, Zaborowski and sophomore catcher Kenneth Jimenez all had one.
Up Next
The tournament continues for the Roughriders on Saturday as they will face the No. 2-ranked Central Arizona College Vaqueros at Sloan Park at 2 p.m. That game will have live stats available on GoRoughriders.com/Live.
– D.J. Irwin