El Paisano

Issue date: 5/1/09 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Greg Naylor/El Paisano Rio's Matt Smoley slides into home for a run against Victor Valley College recently. The Roadrunners are 18-4 on the season going into yesterday's double header with San Bernardino Valley in a quest to make the playoffs.

Media Credit: Greg Naylor/El Paisano Pitcher Victor Soto lets go of a pitch against Victor Valley in a recent game.

The Roadrunners just finished a three game set with Victor Valley and swept all three games, but it's today's double header that matters most, as it could send them to the post season.

The Roadrunners outscored Victor Valley a whopping 45-12 in the three games and are currently in a three way tie for first place in the Foothill Conference. Mt. San Jacinto is already done with league play and they have finished with a 20-4 conference record which forces the Roadrunners to win their remaining games for at least a share of the conference.

Only the top two teams of the conference will advance to the playoffs adding to the pressure they already face. Chaffey also is tied with the Roadrunners at 17-4, but the Roadrunners own the tie breaker between them, but do not own the tie breaker with Mt. San Jacinto.

Coach Mike Salazar said that, "We're going to take it one game at a time". Salazar also says that they can't control what happens with other teams but stresses to his team to win their games and everything will take care of itself and that a his team's success relies heavily on his pitching staff which has performed well.

The problems have come with his team's bullpen. Salazar says the bullpen has to do a better job of holding leads and staying focused throughout the game.

When asked about a possible Team MVP for the season, Salazar mentioned more than one person that has been important to his team's success. Salazar says pitchers Steve Bacerra and Victor Soto as well as infielders Matt Smoley and Willie Sandez have all been the team's MVP, and are all on top of the major offensive and pitching categories.

The Roadrunners look to be optimistic going into their last series against San Bernardino Valley College this week, if the Roadrunners want to win the Foothill Conference title they have to win both games.

The Roadrunners are riding a 7-game winning streak and look to continue that win streak to finish the season and position themselves in the playoffs with their final game of the season today, a double header at home which begins at 2:30 pm.

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