Sierra Vista growing up quickly on baseball field
Playing five games in three days would be a challenge for any high school baseball team.
But for Sierra Vista's young squad, it has been exactly what was needed.
"I think we graduated eight seniors last year, so we have a lot of new guys," senior shortstop Connor Klein said. "We've had all fall and winter to figure out where everybody is, but it's nice to get out here and play somebody besides ourselves."
The Mountain Lions raised their record to 4-1 with two home wins Saturday, beating Faith Lutheran 9-8 and topping Green Valley 7-5. Both games were part of the Lion Kickoff Tournament.
"It's a lot of games early, but it gives everybody a chance to get in the game, and we're getting to see basically all of our guys," Sierra Vista coach Nate Selby said. "We've got a lot of new guys, so it's giving everybody a chance to take a shot at it."
The early results haven't been too shabby, either. Sierra Vista scored six runs in the bottom of the first against Green Valley, a team that advanced to the state tournament last season.
Pitchers Derron Davis and Tyler Charlton weren't dominant against the Gators, but both pitched out of jams and helped the Mountain Lions hang on.
Green Valley had scored twice and had two runners on in the third, but Davis, the team's only senior pitcher, got Gators cleanup hitter Jack Miller to ground out to end the inning.
After Green Valley had cut its deficit to 6-4 in the fifth, Davis got a groundout and then struck out Alec Hutt with a runner at third to end the inning.
Charlton yielded a run in the sixth but got a strikeout to end the inning with runners at second and third.
"They've been working out of some jams, and we're finding a way to win, which is nice early," Selby said. "And hopefully that will help our kids get some confidence."
Selby said that confidence could be particularly important for a team that returns just two starters: Klein and catcher Robert Lee. Both Klein and Lee have switched positions.
Klein went 2-for-2 with an RBI and a run, and Tyler Burdett was 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a run against Green Valley. Daniel Gonzales and freshman Nolan Kingham each added two hits for the Mountain Lions.
Evan Van Hoosier was 2-for-3 with a triple and three RBIs for Green Valley.
Contact prep sports editor Damon Seiters at dseiters@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4587.
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SATURDAY'S HIGHLIGHTS
BASEBALL
• Arbor View's Zach Quintana went 6-for-7 with a homer, five runs and four RBIs as the Aggies swept visiting Western, 10-2 and 13-2.
• Mojave's Carlos Romo hit a two-run single with two out in the sixth inning to lift the Rattlers to a 6-5 win over Moapa Valley in the Cactus Classic in Mesquite.
• Spring Valley's Jose Rosales-Rodarte pitched a five-inning two-hitter, doubled and drove in four runs in the opening game of the Grizzlies' 12-2, 14-4 sweep of visiting Basic.
SOFTBALL
• Centennial's Bailie Nelson singled home Alyssa Finger in the seventh, giving the Bulldogs a 9-8 victory over Taylorsville (Utah) in the Tournament of Champions at Bullhead City, Ariz.
• Foothill's Aricia Dami singled home Gabby Canibeyaz in the sixth inning of the Falcons' 1-0 win over Yucaipa (Calif.) in the Tournament of Champions at Bullhead City, Ariz.
• Bishop Gorman's Shelbie Escotado doubled home the tiebreaking run in the fourth inning of the Gaels' 6-4 victory over Delta (Utah) in the March Warm-Up Tournament at St. George, Utah.
