Balanced Gaels overpower Reno

RENO -- It wasn't the biggest understatement ever made by a high school baseball coach.

But when Bishop Gorman coach Chris Sheff said his players were "swinging the bats pretty well" Thursday, it didn't exactly do justice to the Gaels' performance.

Gorman had 10 extra-base hits, including five home runs, on the way to a 14-1 win over Northern Region champion Reno in the Class 4A state tournament at Bishop Manogue High.

"We had pretty quality (at-bats) and were getting pitches to hit," Sheff said. "All up and down the lineup guys were productive. When we swing the bats like that, it's hard to beat us."

Gorman starter Cory Welch was clinging to a 2-1 lead after two innings when he provided himself a little cushion, turning on a 2-and-2 pitch and driving it over the left-field fence for a three-run homer to make the score 5-1.

"Sometimes you get in games that are high scoring, but we like the fact that if we can get some spacing early, our starters can settle in," Sheff said. "Cory had the big three-run homer, and then we have a two-out, three-run homer from Joey Gallo, too, that kind of made a statement and put us in the clear a little bit."

Gallo's homer was the team's second of three in the fourth, as the Gaels (34-3) scored six runs in the inning.

Erik Van Meetren, the team's No. 8 hitter, led off the inning with a towering shot to left field, and Neil Lawhorn followed Gallo's shot with a blast to center.

"We've been hitting good the last couple days in (batting practice), and we were ready," said Gorman third baseman T.J. White, who went 4-for-4 with three doubles and four runs.

No. 9 hitter Kenny Meimerstorf, who tripled off the fence after Van Meetren's homer in the third, added a two-run homer in the fifth.

Sheff wasn't surprised to get production out of the bottom of the order.

"A lot of times those guys have been the guys that have produced when the top of the order hasn't," Sheff said. "Today we got some balance all throughout the lineup. But usually when the bottom guys are producing, it's very hard to beat us, because we're at some point going to get back to the middle of our lineup."

Gorman plays Galena (24-9) at 1 p.m. today at Manogue. The winner advances to Saturday's championship game and would have to lose twice not to claim the title.

"It's a huge win," White said. "It sets us up good. We've got to come out (today) with the same intensity and win another, and we'll be pretty much in the best situation."

Reno (31-4) faces Rancho (30-4) in an elimination game at 10 a.m. at Manogue. The winner faces the loser of the Gorman-Galena game at 4 p.m.

■ Galena 6, Rancho 3 -- The Rams had opportunities, but base-running blunders ruined their chances for a comeback.

Rancho had a runner caught stealing and another picked off first. A third runner was caught in no-man's land between second and third after a ground-out to first, and another was thrown out at the plate after a pitch that went to the screen.

"We had four outs on the bases, and I'm going to take the heat,'' Rancho coach Tom Pletsch said. "I'm not going to put it off on the kids. It's my job to get them prepared, and they didn't get it done, so that's my fault."

The Rams trailed 5-2 entering the fourth, but a solo homer by Eric Holdren made the score 5-3, and Mike Cruz followed with a single to right.

With Cruz running on the pitch, Roy Sipes hit a grounder to Galena first baseman Lucas Hooper, who tagged first for the second out. But Cruz was hung up between second and third, ending the inning.

Josh Gomez led off the fifth with a triple, but was thrown out at the plate trying to score on a pitch that went to the screen.

Zak Qualls, who walked on the pitch, then was picked off first, stalling another potential rally.

Pletsch also was burned by a decision to start Kevin Kline and save top starters Holdren and Qualls for later in the tournament.

Kline didn't get out of the second inning. Gomez replaced him, but Rancho trailed 5-2 when he left the game.

"We didn't come up here just to play one or two games just to feel good about ourselves," Pletsch said. "We felt that for us to have a chance to win it, we had to throw Kline or Gomez in the first game and try to hold Holdren or Qualls for whoever came out of the other game.

"It backfired. I'll take the heat."

Holdren came on and pitched the final three innings, striking out four and allowing one run on one hit. He threw 30 pitches and might be called on again if Rancho remains alive.

Brandon Pletsch had a solo home run for Rancho, which stranded seven runners.

"We had our opportunities," Tom Pletsch said. "For whatever reason, the kids didn't play like they did last week, and that's my fault. I guarantee we'll be prepared tomorrow."

Contact Prep Sports Editor Damon Seiters at dseiters@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4587.