Game of inches goes Bonanza’s way

Tuesday's Sunset Region baseball playoff game between Bonanza and Arbor View was closer than even the one-run final score.

It came down to a couple of inches.

Bonanza's Hunter Davidson singled up the middle with two outs in the top of the seventh, and Sterling Sprau's headfirst slide into the plate just beat the tag to give the Bengals a 3-2 road victory.

"It looked like he was going to be thrown out," Bonanza pitcher Mario Franzese said. "The throw happened to be to the left of home plate, and Sterling was able to slide around the tag."

Bonanza (17-12) plays Bishop Gorman at 1 p.m. today at Centennial. Arbor View (20-10) plays Centennial in an elimination game at 1 p.m. at Sierra Vista.

With two outs in the top of the seventh, pinch hitter Jake Zebe drew a walk. Sprau re-entered the game as a pinch runner and stole second, and Davidson singled up the middle.

Center fielder Nick Urban came up throwing, but his throw was a few feet up the first-base line. Catcher Brandon LaPointe grabbed the throw and dived back to the plate to attempt a tag, but Sprau was safe with the go-ahead run.

The rest was up to Franzese, who got Arbor View's Colton Hinrickson to ground into a double play to end the game, stranding the potential tying run at third.

"I can't say enough about Mario Franzese," Bonanza coach Derek Stafford said. "He basically put us on his shoulders and carried us."

Franzese gave up eight hits but pitched out of jams on several occasions. He struck out eight, including three to strand runners at the end of an inning.

"It was a tough day to pitch -- the wind was blowing, it's 60 degrees -- and he just kept battling," Stafford said. "He's been doing that all year for us. He's a gamer and has complete composure."

Arbor View's Zack Hartman also pitched an outstanding game, limiting Bonanza to two earned runs on five hits. Hartman struck out 10.

Urban hit a solo home run, and Hartman and Tyler LeBaron each had two hits for the Aggies.

■ Sierra Vista 3, Palo Verde 2 -- At Sierra Vista, winning pitcher Nick Kingham scored what proved to be the decisive run in the third inning on a sacrifice bunt by Billy Santiwan as the Mountain Lions held on to edge the Panthers.

Kingham had five strikeouts and no walks in five innings, and Blair Goldsack notched the save for Sierra Vista (26-6), which faces Legacy at 4 p.m. today at Centennial.

Jake Hager led off the bottom of the first with a home run for the Mountain Lions, who won despite being outhit 5-2.

The Panthers (16-14), who left the potential tying run stranded on third in the seventh, face Spring Valley in an elimination game at 4 p.m. at Sierra Vista.

■ Legacy 6, Spring Valley 5 -- At Legacy, Joey Lauria singled home two runs with two outs in the bottom of the seventh to give the Longhorns (23-8) a win over the Grizzlies (15-10-1).

The rally started with back-to-back one-out singles by Pierce Skinner and Andres Ortiz.

Spring Valley had scored twice in the top of the seventh to take a 5-4 lead.

Ortiz went 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBIs, and Skinner was 2-for-4 and scored three runs.

Aaron Blair and Johnny Hernandez each went 2-for-4 for the Grizzlies.

■ Bishop Gorman 4, Centennial 2 -- At Gorman, Neil Lawhorn went 2-for-3 with a solo home run, a double and two runs, and Joey Gallo and Kenny Meimerstorf each homered to help the Gaels beat the Bulldogs.

Johnny Field added two hits for Gorman (30-3). Robby Rosenthal homered and doubled for Centennial (17-16).

SUNRISE REGION

■ Las Vegas 7, Silverado 1 -- At Las Vegas, Erick Fedde pitched a five-hitter as the Wildcats (23-8) beat the Skyhawks (20-10).

Las Vegas faces Green Valley at the Gators' home field at 1 p.m. today. Silverado takes on Chaparral in an elimination game at Las Vegas at 1 p.m.

The Wildcats took control early, grabbing a 4-0 lead after three innings, and Fedde bolted the door shut. Using a tight slider away and a hard fastball in, the lanky right-hander kept the Skyhawks off balance throughout the game.

Fedde allowed one run on five hits in seven innings, striking out six and walking one.

"I felt good because I could throw all my pitches for strikes," Fedde said. "I kept on hitting my spots. Coach called a great game for me."

Wildcats coach Sam Thomas gave high praise to Fedde, who didn't allow a runner past second base until the sixth inning and surrendered the shutout in final inning when Silverado catcher A.J. Ford led off with an opposite-field home run to right field.

"I thought he did a tremendous job," Thomas said. "He hit his spots, mixed his pitches very well. He competed. (Silverado is) a very good hitting team."

■ Rancho 12, Coronado 11 -- At Rancho, the Rams (27-3) rallied from an 8-2 deficit to beat the Cougars (15-8-2) in eight innings.

Rancho scored twice in the bottom of the eighth to win the game. The tying run came home on an infield single by Brandon Pletsch. After Coronado walked two to load the bases, Gabe Chavira hit a long fly ball to right-center for a single to bring home the winning run.

Coronado had taken an 11-10 lead in the top of the eighth on an RBI double by Steven Pollex, who was 3-for-5 with three doubles and five RBIs.

Rancho tied the game with two out in the bottom of the seventh on an RBI double by Mike Cruz.

Taylor Giordano was 3-for-5 with three runs for Coronado.

■ Foothill 13, Valley 2 -- At Foothill, Jordan Stewart homered twice and drove in four runs, and Kris Soto went 3-for-4 with a home run, two doubles and five RBIs as the Falcons beat the Vikings in six innings.

Dylan Ellis went 3-for-4 with a homer and two RBIs for Foothill (24-5).

Mitchell Diesko homered for Valley (14-14).

■ Green Valley 18, Chaparral 1 -- At Green Valley, Bobby Shiroky threw a two-hitter with seven strikeouts to help the Gators (27-5) dominate the Cowboys (14-13) in five innings.

Gabe Douglas had two hits, including a home run, to lead Green Valley's offense.

Chad Whiteaker, Brett Harrison, Scott Arn and Casey Hicks each added two hits for the Gators.