SUNSET REGION: No. 9 hitter Rodriguez helps Bulldogs overwhelm Diamondbacks

Adrian Rodriguez might have been batting ninth for Centennial’s baseball team Monday.

But no hitter in the Bulldogs’ lineup had been hotter.

Rodriguez stayed clutch, going 2-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBIs to help the Bulldogs (22-11) to a 10-4 win over visiting Desert Oasis (18-11) in the first round of the Sunset Region tournament.

“That’s one thing about our team: anybody at any given time can come up big for us,” Centennial coach Charlie Cerrone said. “We don’t have an MVP.”

Rodriguez closed out the regular season by going 8-for-9 with a double, three homers and 10 RBIs in the team’s final three games.

He picked up where he left off Monday, lining a two-run single to center in the bottom of the second to break a scoreless tie.

“His work ethic and attitude has led him to where he’s been very successful for us,” Cerrone said. “He’s been a very pleasant addition and surprise to the team.”

Rodriguez’s first hit started a three-run second that gave the team some cushion.

“To get a lead and be able to pitch with a lead, you put yourself in a good position,” Cerrone said.

The Bulldogs added two runs in the fourth on RBI singles by Austin Nelson and Bryan Bonnell, then broke the game open with five runs in the fifth to make it 10-1.

Casey Moses had the big blow of the fifth when his line drive skipped past Desert Oasis center fielder Joel Lewis  on the wet grass for a three-run triple.

Moses also earned the complete-game win, allowing three earned runs on six hits. He struck out 10 and walked two.

Moses was his own worst enemy, committing four balks and throwing two wild ptches. Two of the runners that scored had advanced on balks, and a third run came home on a wild pitch.

“Casey’s one of those kids; he’s got too much energy,” Cerrone said. “But I’d rather have that much energy than the other way around. And he’s one of the best competitors we’ve ever had here in 12 years. He competes.”

Bonnell was 4-for-4, and Nelson went 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs to lead Centennial’s 15-hit attack.

Riley Smith had two hits for Desert Oasis.

Centennial plays at five-time defending Class 4A state champion Bishop Gorman at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Desert Oasis hosts Shadow Ridge in an elimination game, also at 3:30.

Bishop Gorman 12, Shadow Ridge 1 — At Gorman, T.J. White tossed a one-hitter as the Gaels (29-4) blitzed the Mustangs (19-11) in five innings.

White allowed only a third-inning single to Mitchell Shields and struck out six. He didn’t walk a batter and faced only two more than the minimum.

Erik Van Meetren was 1-for-2 with a grand slam and two runs scored for Gorman, which scored six runs in the third and five more in the fourth.

Joey Gallo was 2-for-2 with a home run and two RBIs, and A.J. Van Meetren was 2-for-3 with a double and two runs for Gorman. Jerrell Latham went 2-for-2 with a triple and scored twice for the Gaels.

Spring Valley 8, Cimarron-Memorial 4 — At Cimarron, Jacob Schwartz was 2-for-4 with a triple and two RBIs, and the Grizzlies (15-14) took advantage of five Spartan (23-8) errors to stun the Northwest League champions.

Chase LaComb was 2-for-5 with a double, a run and an RBI, and Eddie Gomez went 3-for-4 with two runs for Spring Valley. Jose Rosales-Rodarte went 2-for-4 with a double, a run and an RBI for the Grizzlies, who will visit Sierra Vista in a winners’ bracket game at 3:30 on Tuesday.

Nate Hale, Effie Garcia and Travis Hendry each had two hits for Cimarron, which will host Faith Lutheran in an elimination game, also at 3:30.

Sierra Vista 11, Faith Lutheran 3 — At Sierra Vista. Scott Tomassetti went 2-for-4 with a home run, a double and two RBIs, and the Mountain Lions (32-2) scored in every inning of their win over the Crusaders (15-16).

Blair Goldsack and Tyler Condie combined on a three-hitter for Sierra Vista, which led 7-0 after three innings.

Goldsack was 3-for-4 with an RBI, and Billy Santiwan went 3-for-4 with a double for the Mountain Lions.