Cougars shut out in Game 2 vs. Reedley

Cougars shut out in Game 2 vs. Reedley

Taft College totaled 9 hits but left 12 runners on base in a 9-0 Central Valley Conference loss to visiting Reedley College on Thursday.

Reedley has won the first two of a three-game CVC series. The Cougars will look to avoid the sweep in the series finale on Saturday (Feb. 22) at 2 p.m. back in Reedley.

Thursday's contest began as a pitcher's duel between Taft starter Manny Guzman and Reedley's Blake Costa. Both put up zeroes over the first four innings before Reedley finally got on the board with a pair of runs off Guzman in the fifth.

The Tigers poured it on from that point, scoring three runs in the sixth, and two runs each in the eighth and ninth innings. Guzman (1-3) took the loss, allowing just the two runs and four hits over five innings.

Taft's best chance to score came in the bottom of the eighth. A single by Greyson Barrett and walks to Keegan Vialpando and Tyren Dorrance loaded the bases with two outs. But Reedley reliever Harrison Moy struck out Nikolas Cortez to end the inning.

C.J. Fish went 3 for 4 to lead Taft at the plate while Vialpando had a pair of hits, going 2 for 3.

The loss dropped Taft to 2-11 overall and 0-2 in the CVC.