By Mitch Vareldzis

Poston Butte's baseball team broke open a close game by scoring nine runs in the final two innings of its 11-2 victory Tuesday at Tempe High. 

Poston Butte (12-10 overall, 6-7 D-III power rankings) came ready to play with strong pitching by starter Keegan Vercoe. He threw all seven innings and allowed just two runs (one earned) and five hits.

He also struck out seven batters, walked two and hit two batters.

His pitching was backed by an outstanding offensive performance by shortstop/leadoff hitter Aaron Kern. Kern went 3 for 4 with two doubles, three runs scored, four runs batted in, an intentional walk and his first home run of the season; a shot over the left field fence.

“It was amazing,” Kern said. “That is all I can really say right now.”

Kern had also caught the attention of Tempe High head coach Christopher Otto. Otto said that Kern “plays great.”

“He looks like a baseball player,” Otto said.

Also helping on offense was second baseman Cameron Vercoe, who went 2 for 5 with three RBIs, and right fielder Hunter Klein, who went 1 for 3 with a walk, a double, two RBIs and two runs scored.

The loss was credited to Tempe’s left-handed starter Zach Mitchell, who along with his Tempe teamates also came ready to play. Until the sixth inning, Mitchell was pitching very well, having only allowed two runs.

But his final pitch came with two outs in the sixth inning after allowing the fifth run. He allowed six runs, eight hits, three walks and struck out five batters.

The remainder of the game was finished by Martin Gonzales, who allowed five runs, four hits, walked one, hit one batter and struck out two.

On offense for Tempe, center fielder Daniel Muniz (reached base three times) and Mitchell (walk, RBI single) each went 1 for 3.

Otto was very positive after the loss, saying that his players “continued to battle.”

“We have got some guys with some next-man-up mentality,” Otto said. “We threw our best and gave it a game. The other team battled through so much adversity.”

Otto went on to say that the lack of pitching on his roster has spread it “very thin.” His second and third starting pitchers are both out with arm injuries, and his fourth starter was playing second base.

“(Mitchell) was at 96 pitches,” said Otto when asked about the decision to remove him from the game. “We have to protect him from himself. There was no need to extend him.”

Tempe High (5-7 Overall, 5-6 in D-III power rankings) will travel to South Mountain on Thursday and face the Jaguars (3-12-1 overall) at 4 p.m. Poston Butte will return home and take on Combs (13-9 overall) on Friday at 6p.m. 

Mitch Vareldzis is a sports journalism student at Arizona State. He is covering Tempe High this semester for his sports writing class.