Sierra Vista’s Goldsack fires no-hitter vs. Liberty

Blair Goldsack has enjoyed a season to remember by emerging as a big-game pitcher for Sierra Vista's baseball team.

On Wednesday, the senior right-hander notched another memorable achievement: a no-hitter in a championship game on his home field.

Goldsack no-hit Liberty in a five-inning game, and the Mountain Lions stayed unbeaten with a 12-0 victory in the Purple 3 bracket title game of the Blazer Spring Bash.

"(Goldsack) has been getting the ball when we need a win, and he's pitched well with the opportunities he's had," Sierra Vista coach Nate Selby said. "He's been good all year. He's pitched in our biggest games, and he's done it."

All that prevented Goldsack from throwing a perfect game was when Liberty's Danny Topps reached on an error in the fourth inning.

Goldsack consistently worked ahead in the count, finishing with six strikeouts.

"I was getting ahead with my fastball, spotting up and just working ahead to each guy," Goldsack said. "Everything fell into place after that."

Goldsack had six saves as Sierra Vista's closer last year, but has been fantastic since being moved into the starting rotation this season.

Sierra Vista (26-0) won three games Wednesday, including a 6-2 victory over Campbell Hall (Calif.) and a 14-0 rout of Verdugo Hills (Calif.) in the semifinals.

Goldsack received plenty of support in the title game. Dusty Stevens went 2-for-2 with four RBIs for Sierra Vista, and Billy Santiwan was 3-for-3 with a double and two RBIs.

Conner Klein went 2-for-3, including a two-run single up the middle as part of a five-run second inning for the Mountain Lions, and Jake Findlay finished 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI.

"I couldn't ask for any more," Goldsack said. "We had a good game. Our offense got some runs and we played good defense, so that's all you can ask for."

Sierra Vista, ranked No. 10 in the nation by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper, went 6-0 in three days at the tournament, outscoring teams by a combined margin of 63-5.

The Mountain Lions' most important games are still ahead in the Southwest League, but Goldsack said the team's tournament success can only help their chances in the Sunset Region playoffs.

"You don't get many opportunities to have this many games in this amount of days, so it will help us be a better team overall," he said.

Contact reporter Tristan Aird at taird@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5203.