SUNSET REGION: Santiwan helps Mountain Lions break scoring drought, edge Grizzlies

Sierra Vista had little problem scoring runs in two regular-season matchups against Spring Valley this season.

But runs don’t come as easily in the playoffs.

Sierra Vista scored twice in the bottom of the fifth inning Tuesday to break a 4-4 tie and defeat the visiting Grizzlies, 6-4 in a Sunset Region playoff game.

The Mountain Lions scored a combined 37 runs in the two regular-season wins over Spring Valley.

“No one ever says you’ve got to win pretty,” Sierra Vista coach Nate Selby said. “In the playoffs, we’ll take coming in with one more run than the other team, and we were fortunate to get that done today.”

Sierra Vista (33-2) hosts Bishop Gorman (30-4) at 4 p.m. Wednesday with the winner advancing to Friday’s championship round. Spring Valley (15-15) plays Desert Oasis (19-11) in an elimination game at 1 p.m. at Sierra Vista.

After watching the Grizzlies score two runs in the top of the fifth to tie the game, the Mountain Lions responded with two runs in the bottom half.

Senior Billy Santiwan hit a two-out double to score Scott Tomassetti and give Sierra Vista a 5-4 lead.

Santiwan then stole third and scored an insurance run on a fielding error.

“We kid Billy a lot on his athleticism,” Selby said. “He doesn’t get the attention that some of our other players get, but he’s just as deserving as he’s been a solid player for us all year.”

Alex Estrella tossed five solid innings to earn the win, and reliever Dusty Stevens threw two scoreless innings to pick up the save.

Santiwan started a three-run second inning with an RBI single on a sharp grounder that found the hole between third and shortstop to score Blair Goldsack.

“I tried to make adjustments throughout the game,” Santiwan said. “I tried to see it well and do the best I could to get the barrel on the ball.”

The Mountain Lions added two more runs on an RBI single by Armando Perez and a fielder’s choice to make it 3-0.

Spring Valley’s Kenny Hartlauer and Tyler Kartler hit solo homers to cut the lead to 3-2 heading into the bottom of the fourth.

Spring Valley tied the game 4-4 in the top of the fifth inning on an RBI single by Glenn Smith and an RBI double by Dylan Drachler, but blew several opportunities to make it a big inning.

Drachler, unaware that Smith had stopped at third, overran second on his double and was eventually tagged out after a rundown.

Smith was then thrown out at the plate on a failed squeeze bunt attempt, and Spring Valley made its final out on the bases after Drew LaComb stole second. LaComb tried to make it to third after catcher Tomassetti’s throw sailed into center field, but Sierra Vista center fielder Tyler Condie gunned down LaComb at third to end the inning.

Sierra Vista turned three double plays in the game, including an inning-ender in the top of the sixth inning.

Goldsack finished 2-for-2 for Sierra Vista.

Smith went 2-for-2 for Spring Valley.

Bishop Gorman 5, Centennial 4 — At Gorman, Joey Gallo’s RBI single with two outs in the bottom of the 10th gave the Gaels the win over the Bulldogs.

Centennial retired the first two batters in the 10th before Jerrell Latham and T.J. White walked to extend the inning.

Gallo finished 4-for-5 with a double, an RBI and two runs, and A.J. Van Meetren went 3-for-4 with a triple and an RBI for Gorman.

Cody Roper threw four scoreless innings, allowing two hits and striking out four, to earn the win.

Casey Moses was 2-for-5 with an RBI for Centennial (22-12), which plays Faith Lutheran in an elimination game at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Sierra Vista.

Desert Oasis 15, Shadow Ridge 5 — At Desert Oasis, Dylan Krasn went 3-for-5 with a double, three runs scored and three RBIs to lead the Diamondbacks to the five-inning win over the Mustangs (19-12).

Riley Smith finished 3-for-5 with two RBIs, and Zane Killebrew was 3-for-5 with two runs and two RBIs for Desert Oasis, which had 20 hits.

Faith Lutheran 12, Cimarron-Memorial 3 — At Cimarron, Blake Matthias was 3-for-4 with a double, a home run and four RBIs to help the Crusaders (16-16) eliminate the Spartans (23-9).

Matthias also went the distance, scattering eight hits and striking out six, to get the win.

Josh Murtha hit a grand slam in the fourth inning to put Faith Lutheran on top, 4-3. Brett Yee was 3-for-3 with two runs for the Crusaders.

Cimarron’s A.J. Hernandez was 3-for-4 with a triple, and teammate Nathan Hale went 2-for-3 with a triple.