PREP BASEBALL ROUNDUP : El Dorado Cools Off Esperanza in League Opener

On a bitter afternoon, Esperanza’s bats were as cold as the weather.

El Dorado’s Tyson Dowdell and Shawn Holcomb held visiting Esperanza to five hits and handed the Aztecs their first loss of the season, 3-2, in an Empire League opener Friday.

“The worst thing you can do is come in here with a good record and think you’re riding high, because they’ll make you eat crow,” said Esperanza Coach Mike Curran, whose team is 6-1. “If you do that anywhere in this league, they’ll humble you in two seconds.”

El Dorado (5-2) jumped out to an early lead against Esperanza ace Shade Summers (1-1), who lost for the first time in two seasons.

The Golden Hawks scored twice in the first inning, when Dowdell hit a two-out double off the top of the center-field fence to drive in Gar Vallone from first. Holcomb followed with a single up the middle to drive in Dowdell.

Dowdell (2-0) led El Dorado at the plate with three hits and on the mound with two strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings. Holcomb finished up for his second save.

Both Esperanza runs were the result of El Dorado errors. Two errors by second baseman John Street allowed Rich Hills to score in the fourth. In the sixth, Erickson Dumaual moved to third on a throwing error by Brian Loyd and came across on Hills’ groundout.

Esperanza third baseman Keith McDonald had three hits, but the Aztecs left four runners on base, and two baserunners were caught stealing.