DIVISION IV BASEBALL: Chavez saves Round Mountain a spot in final

Round Mountain baseball coach Jake Topholm had to do something he was trying to avoid on Friday, but he was in no position to be selective.

With his pitching staff struggling and his team trailing by two runs in the second inning, Topholm was forced to call on his ace senior to take the mound in relief.

Serjio Chavez restored order and controlled the next four innings to help the Knights rally to defeat Wells, 10-7, in the losers’ bracket final of the Division IV state tournament at Rancho.

Round Mountain will play Pahranagat Valley for the championship at 10 a.m. Saturday. Under the tournament’s double-elimination format, the Knights would have to beat the Panthers twice to claim the title.

Topholm said his decision to go with Chavez was a desperation move, as the senior reached his innings limit for the tournament and will not be available to throw in either title game.

“I didn’t want to bring him back,” said Topholm, whose starter Cole Dustin struggled. “But he came in and did what he needed to do to get us a win.”

The Leopards struck early, posting three runs on three hits and two walks in the first inning, and another on a wild pitch in the second.

Though the Knights scored two runs in the bottom of the first, Topholm could see that Wells was about to break it open with the bases loaded in the second.
Chavez said he was ready for the call.

“As soon as my coach gave me the ball, I had a good feeling,” he said. “As a senior, it was my last opportunity to help, and I knew I had to do something.”
Chavez cruised, holding Wells hitless until reaching his inning limit and being pulled after the fifth.

The Knights’ offense, meanwhile, made the most of eight Leopards errors and several timely hits to go ahead 7-4 with four runs in the fourth. They put three more runs on the board in the fifth to take control.

Wells rallied for three runs in the seventh inning, but closer Emitt Davis struck out the last two batters he faced to put it away.

Chavez also led Round Mountain’s offense, going 3-for-3 with a double and four RBIs.

Armando Soriano went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs to lead the Leopards.

The Knights were forced to come up through the losers’ bracket due to a 10-4 morning loss to top-seeded Pahranagat Valley.

Tyson Sparrow went 3-for-4 with a double to lead the Panthers in the win.

Wells qualified for the losers’ bracket final with an 8-6 victory over Carlin.