In a nailbiter finish, the Orestimba Warriors baseball defeated the Denair Coyotes in the bottom of the seventh, 6-5, tying their series 1-1 against the Warriors on Friday. The Coyotes fall to 4-9 for the season and 3-4 in the SAL league, tying for 4th in league.

“It just didn’t quite pan out for us. I have a young team. We're getting a lot better over the course of season and we’re going to win a couple more, a few more here at the end of the season, but this is a tough loss,” said head Denair head coach Michael Stucker.

The fifth inning gave Denair hope that they could pull it off.  The Coyotes’ Jacob Dotson (20) hit a fly ball to right field that was dropped, resulting in two RBIs and edging the Coyotes to a respectable 4-5 lead over the Warriors. The Coyotes just needed strikeouts from there.

“Just trying to look for outs,” said the Coyotes’ pitcher Lincoln Hart (2). “They get a slow roller, we got called out on a few of those that were right there. And then you get a tough grounder, one in the gap. I'll give it to them. But they had a dinker down the line, barely. It's just tough but that’s baseball.”

The seventh inning was when the game turned in favor of the Warriors. Denair’s Hart (2) took the mound to put away the game. But Orestimba’s Richard Rivas (3) hit a line drive and brought a Warrior over home plate, tying up the game at 5-5. Then Alex Millan (8) hit a tough dinker to the foul line, bringing home Jaden Sotello (4) over home plate, and a final score of 6-5, Warriors.

Next Week, the Coyotes seek to improve their record. They will begin their series against SAL opponent Waterford who are 3-15 overall and 0-7 in the SAL league. The Coyotes will travel to Waterford, beginning at 4 p.m. on Wednesday. Then the Coyotes will play at Denair, beginning at 4 p.m. on Friday.