ROUNDUP: Meimerstorf provides spark as Gaels top Sierra Vista

Bishop Gorman’s offense spent more than two innings waiting for a spark.

Kenny Meimerstorf provided it.

The junior crushed a 3-1 fastball over the left-field fence with two outs, powering the host Gaels to a seven-run third inning in a 9-2 victory over Sierra Vista on Saturday.

“The first couple innings we had a couple good swings but couldn’t get anything going,” Gorman coach Nick Day said. “Then that inning was a huge lift, Kenny getting us going with the home run, and then we hit a couple more balls hard and made some things happen. We kind of put some pressure on their defense for a change, and it worked out for us.”

Sierra Vista (16-5, 4-3 Southwest League) led 2-0 before Meimerstorf triggered the big inning. Jerrel Latham hit a one-hopper off the center-field fence to score two runs and give Gorman (12-2, 4-0) the lead for good.

Tyler Baker added two RBIs when his high fly to shallow center fell in, and he scored when a throw to the plate struck him in the helmet and bounced away.

Matt Roth’s two-run homer in the fifth added to the Gaels’ lead.

“Any time we play Sierra Vista it’s going to be a good game,” Day said. “They just take care of the little things. They’re tough outs. They all put the bat on the ball and make the little things happen.”

That’s what the Mountain Lions did to score an unearned run in each of the first two innings. After two one-out singles in the first, Daniel Gonzales hit a grounder to Roth at first. Roth tried to get the out at second, but his wild throw went into left field to allow Cole Crosby to score the first run.

In the second, Derron Davis reached on an infield single with two outs and took second on a throwing error by Joey Gallo. Gallo made a diving stop, but his throw sailed past Roth.

Connor Klein then singled through the right side for the 2-0 lead.

That was all Gorman starter Adam Wozniak allowed. He gave up no earned runs on six hits in five innings to get the win, striking out four and walking one. Neiko Martinez pitched two hitless innings of relief.

Roth went 2-for-2 and scored two runs, Michael Blasko was 2-for-3 with two runs and Johnny Sewald supplied two hits for Gorman.

Faith Lutheran 5, Basic 0 — At Basic, Zach Skipper tossed a four-hit shutout to lead the Crusaders past the Wolves.

Skipper walked one and struck out seven. He also went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI for Faith Lutheran, which scored three runs in the top of the first inning.

Brandon Johnson was 1-for-3 with a double and an RBI, and J.B. Eary went 1-for-4 with an RBI for the Crusaders.

Ryan Blatnik was 2-for-3 for Basic.