Cobras Get a Victory, Players Get to Showcase Skills

7/7/2008 12:27:09 AM

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They have taken some lumps so far in this their inaugural season as a semi-pro baseball team, but the California Cobras (black) got back in the win column Wednesday with a 6-2 victory over K & Z Pork at McAuliffe Field in Sacramento. The win over K & Z was the Cobras’ first win since June 11th when they defeated K & Z by a score of 10-8.

The Cobras, which are currently in the middle of playing in the two-month Horizon Air Summer Series which ends on July 30th, are competing against some of the top players in the country and manager Mike Breining likes what he has seen thus far.

“We’ve played 32 games so far this summer, with 20 remaining this month, and this young squad of local, mostly junior college guys, has done very well against teams that recruit ballplayers from four year colleges around the country. These guys have improved their games individually and as a team, and they should be ready for their college fall tryouts,” said Breining.

Wednesday’s victory was sparked by a four run second inning rally that began after the first two batters flew out, which is when the Cobras’ offense came alive. Base hits by Matt Kennard and Jeff Murphy were followed with RBI doubles by Spencer Williams and Mark Leacox to put the Cobras up 2-0. Three batters later, an RBI single to left off the bat of Michael Marjama upped the Cobras lead to 4-0.

Murphy hit the game’s deepest shot of the night when he led off the fourth with a double off the wall in left-centerfield. Two batters later, Murphy scored when Leacox doubled for what was Leacox’s third in his first three at-bats.

Although the offense was cruising, so was Cobras starting pitcher Andrew LeDuc who controlled the game on defense pitching a four-hit shutout in four innings of work. K & Z was able to add a run in the fifth, and another run in the eighth, but they couldn’t generate a rally against Cobras middle reliever Chris Garcia who pitched 2 2/3 scoreless innings. Closer Dustin Stoddard put the finishing touches on the game with a three up, three down ninth inning.

Leacox (3 for 5, double, 3 RBI’s) and Kennard (3 for 4) led the Cobras with three hits each. Murphy (2 for 3, double), Steve Camillucci (2 for 3), and Mike McKinney added to the 16-hit night with two hits each.

With still plenty of games left to play in the summer series, the Cobras will look to string some runs together while continuing to showcase their skills for scouts.

“Because of the level of competition that we face, there are scouts from professional baseball or four year colleges at most of our games. Five of the guys have committed to four year colleges since our season started, including a couple of guys who got little play time at their junior college last season," said Breining. "This is a great group of guys who are working hard to get better, enjoying the competition, and having a good time playing good baseball.”

For more roster and schedule information, or to learn more about the California Cobras players, coaches, and organization, go to www.norcalcobras.com.

Leacox, who leads off at first, went 3 for 5 in the Cobras' Wednesday win over K & Z Pork

Spencer Williams ripped this second inning RBI double down the rightfield line

The Cobras received solid defensive play from Marjama at second base

It was an impressive four innings for LeDuc who allowed no runs and just one hit