Las Vegas breezes to victory

There's no replacement for experience in big baseball games.

Especially when that experience happens to come with a potent bat.

Las Vegas catcher Felix Segovia, back after a year at Salt Lake Community College, went 6-for-6 with a home run and six RBIs as the Wildcats rolled to a 20-4 win over Centennial in the American Legion state tournament Saturday at UNLV's Wilson Stadium.

Las Vegas (22-14) plays Bishop Gorman at 8 p.m. Monday. Centennial (22-13) plays Silverado at 5 p.m. Monday.

"He's huge," Las Vegas coach Gino DiMaria said of Segovia. "He's been swinging a wooden bat mostly through the season. And I told him, 'Listen, we're going to start you off early with aluminum because we're going to need those big hits.' And he came through."

Segovia had hits in each of the first two innings, including an RBI single in the second. He hit a two-run single to key a six-run third as Las Vegas broke a 4-4 tie.

Segovia added a solo home run off the top of the scoreboard in left field in the fifth and had a two-run single in the Wildcats' nine-run sixth. He hit an infield single in the seventh.

"It's a relief," Segovia said of winning the opener. "This is my first playoff game in summer ball, and I came out a little bit nervous, (feeling) a little pressure. But after that first hit, I felt good."

Las Vegas led 4-0 going into the bottom of the second, but back-to-back errors led to four unearned runs as the Bulldogs tied the score.

But those were the only runs Las Vegas pitcher Matt Schuette allowed. Schuette (7-3) went the distance, gave up six hits and struck out six.

The Wildcats committed four errors in the seven-inning game but made up for it by pounding 23 hits, including four apiece by Chris Butler and Josh Meek.

• Bishop Gorman 10, Silverado 3 -- Eric Van Meetren was 3-for-4 with a double, a home run and four RBIs to lead the two-time defending state champs.

Matt Hall added three hits and three RBIs for Gorman (62-7-1).

Silverado (12-19) had runners in scoring position in six of the first seven innings but failed to score.

The Skyhawks finally scored on a wild pitch in the eighth, and Braden Keathley hit a two-run homer in the ninth.