Arbor View stuns Gorman in Sunset Region baseball win

It wasn't the way Arbor View senior Zach Quintana had envisioned recording the final out. But in the end, it worked out fine for the Aggies.

With the tying run on third, Quintana's 2-and-2 pitch to Bishop Gorman's Jerrel Latham got past catcher Brandon LaPointe and went to the backstop.

But LaPointe got to the ball quickly and fired to Quintana covering the plate in time to get pinch runner Willie Jumper for the final out of Arbor View's shocking 9-8 win over Gorman in the Class 4A Sunset Region tournament on Wednesday.

"I knew I threw it hard enough to where I had a chance to come back and cover the plate," Quintana said. "I knew it was going to bounce off hard, because I threw it as hard as I could. And I just got in and covered the plate with my whole body."

Arbor View (31-4) plays Durango (17-18) at 4 p.m. today at Centennial. Gorman (31-3), ranked seventh nationally by Baseball America, plays Spring Valley (22-9-1) in an elimination game at 1 p.m.

The final out came on Quintana's 129th pitch. He took a 9-6 lead into the bottom of the seventh, but Gorman got a double from Justin Jones and a long home run just inside the foul pole in right field from Joey Gallo to cut its deficit to one.

Kenny Meimerstorf then singled and was replaced at first by Jumper, who advanced to second on a grounder and stole third.

"It's kind of unreal right now," Quintana said of the win. "It hasn't set in. I knew we had the talent, definitely, to beat them. It hasn't set in that we did it."

Gorman took a 4-0 lead after two innings and led 6-2 going to the sixth.

But Arbor View sent 12 batters to the plate in the sixth, scoring seven runs highlighted by Quintana's three-run double that gave Arbor View its first lead.

Arbor View also got a couple of breaks in the inning. Tyler Peterson's swinging bunt down the third-base line rolled dead just inside fair territory to load the bases with nobody out. And with one out, Evan McMahan hit a potential double-play ball to third.

But Gallo's throw to second hit pinch runner Wyatt Burge in the head, allowing a run to score and keeping the bases loaded. Quintana then laced a double into the left-field corner to give the Aggies the lead.

Quintana finished 2-for-3 with four RBIs. Gallo was 2-for-3 with two homers and four RBIs for Gorman.

■ Durango 7, Centennial 5 - At Centennial, Jacob Dismont drove in the go-ahead run with a two-run single in the sixth inning to lift the Trailblazers.

Centennial hosts Sierra Vista (24-10) in an elimination game at 10 a.m. today.

Brett Neighbors went 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI for Durango, which rallied from a 5-3 deficit with four runs in the sixth.

Mike Yenkowski doubled, singled and scored a run for Centennial (23-10-1).

■ Spring Valley 13, Cimarron-Memorial 2 - At Cimarron, Robby Brewster was 4-for-4 with a homer, two RBIs and two runs and went the distance on the mound as the Grizzlies eliminated the Spartans (22-9).

Dylan Drachler went 3-for-4 with a double, two runs and an RBI for Spring Valley.

■ Sierra Vista 7, Shadow Ridge 4 - At Sierra Vista, Loren Cutolo smacked a two-out, two-run single in the fifth inning to help the Mountain Lions (24-10) eliminate the Mustangs (18-14).

Mike Wager hit a home run and Brady Hoskins two doubles for Shadow Ridge.

SUNRISE REGION

Tyler Brown's two-out single in the seventh inning brought home Kaleb Blyton to give Coronado a 1-0 home win over Foothill in the Sunrise Region tournament.

"I always wish it was me under those situations hitting," Brown said. "That's when it's the best."

Senior right-hander Kenny Oakley pitched a five-hit shutout to lift the Cougars (25-8) into the Sunrise winners' final against Silverado (23-8-1) at 4 p.m. today at Green Valley.

Oakley issued no walks and struck out nine to outduel Falcons sophomore right-hander Tyler Van Stone, who pitched a four-hitter.

"That was huge for (Oakley)," Cougars coach David Padilla said. "That was a senior who's been on varsity for three years throwing at the top of his game all day long."

Foothill (20-12) will play host Green Valley (19-14) in an elimination game at 10 a.m. today.

The Falcons put the potential go-ahead run at third with no outs in the seventh, but Coronado turned a slick double play from third baseman Chandler Blanchard to second baseman James Anderson to catcher Blyton. Oakley then struck out pinch hitter Janson Neff.

"That was huge to keep it scoreless," Padilla said of the double play. "That was real special."

Brown, Coronado's leadoff hitter, went 2-for-3 with a walk.

■ Silverado 8, Rancho 2 - At Silverado, Mike Meyers went 3-for-3 with a home run, a double, three RBIs and three runs to lead the Skyhawks past the Rams.

Dillon Johnson was 3-for-3 with a double and two runs for Silverado, which got a home run from Mark Janosik.

Matt Almodover was 2-for-2 with two stolen bases for Rancho (19-13), which faces Las Vegas (19-11-1) in an elimination game at 1 p.m. today at Green Valley.

■ Las Vegas 11, Eldorado 3 - At Las Vegas High, Dillon Dove went 2-for-3 with two triples and four RBIs to help the Wildcats eliminate the Sundevils (11-20).

Sammy Gonzales was 3-for-4 for Eldorado.

■ Green Valley 10, Sunrise Mountain 2 - At Green Valley, Evan Van Hoosier was 3-for-4 with two doubles and three RBIs as the Gators eliminated the Miners (10-15).

Jack Miller was 2-for-4 with a two-run home run, and Keegan Smith, Cody Milner and Alec Hutt each added a double and a triple for Green Valley, which scored seven runs in the second inning.