By Jim Richards

With ace Daniel Romero on the sidelines the past two weeks, spot starter/reliever JT Eilertson gave the Cougars something they badly needed. Eilertson, a transfer out of Western Oregon University, won two games during the week that ended April 13 and was named the ACCAC’s Division II  Pitcher of the Week.

First, he struck out five and gave up one hit in a key 7-6 win over Pima. He followed that by allowing only two hits in a 1-0 win over Eastern Arizona. Romero, who has been out of action with a sore arm, won the award the previous week.

The Cougars are still in their most difficult stretch of the season and are in a second-place tie with Cochise, both with 22-10 record and behind front-running Yavapai College (25-7) and barely ahead of Chandle Gilbert (20-10) and Pima (19-13). Central was stung by a double-header loss to Yavapai Wednesday night and fell to 18-14.

The Cougars will travel to Central for a critical double-header Saturday before returning home to face Cochise in another key double-header on Tuesday.