Baseball: D-I Elite Eight roundup

May 5, 2016 by Les Willsey, AZPreps365




Mountain Ridge played cat-and-mouse with Sandra Day O'Connor twice in the top of the seventh with runners on first and third. The second time, the Lions got the desired result.

Tristan Thomas scored on an errant throw home with two outs  on Thursday afternoon and that was the difference as the fifth-seeded Lions edged the fourth-seeded Eagles, 5-4, in the first round of the double elimination portion of the Division I baseball tournament at Diablo Stadium.

It's the second time in two weeks Mountain Ridge has picked up a come-from-behind win over SDO. The last time the Lions scored twice in the top of the seventh for a 2-1 win. Mountain Ridge plays again on Saturday against Mountain Pointe at 6:30 p.m. at Diablo. SDO plays again Friday at 4 p.m. against Basha.

Mountain Ridge used a walk, sacrifice and hit batter to get runners at the corners with two outs against reliever Dawson McCarville. With No. 8 hitter Jason Harayda at the plate with an 0-2 count, Mountain Ridge invited SDO to get in run down with the runner on first. SDO didn't bite the first time. The second time when Thomas broke to the plate, first baseman Trey Patnoe fired home. His throw was low and up the line as Thomas crossed home with the game winner.

Nolan Ruff, who pitched three-plus innings of relief in helping Mountain Ridge to a second-round win over Sunrise Mountain, picked up the win with 1 1/3 innings of shutout relief. Catcher Matthew Dyer came on to pitch the seventh and was able to get out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam with 6-4-3 double play on a 3-2 pitch to Tanner Baker. Baker drove in two of SDO's four runs.

Dyer was 2-for-4 with an RBI and Mitchel Sullivan came up with three hits. Nico Burgarello was 3-for-3 and Nolan Gorman had two hits and two RBI for SDO. Leadoff hitter Bailin Markridge was 2-2 with two walks and scored twice.

HAMILTON 11, CHAPARRAL 10: Cole Bellinger's three-run double in the bottom of the seventh lifted the No. 6 Huskies past the No. 14 Firebirds at Maryvale Park. Hamilton moves on to Saturday to face the Campo Verde-Perry winner  at 4 p.m. at Diablo Stadium. Chaparral plays on Friday in an elimination game against the Campo Verde-Perry loser at 4 pm. at Diablo.

Chaparral, which scored nine runs in the third inning to take a 10-1 lead, couldn't hold this one. Leading 10-4 after five, they gave up three runs in he sixth and Bellinger's bases-clearing double for the win. Bellinger redeemed himself for a tough outing on the mound. He gave up nine runs in two-plus innings of work. Ryan Turner and Drew Swift combined for the final 4 1/3 innings with Swift getting the win.

Nick Brueser had two hits and two RBI for Hamilton. Chaparrall's Dylan Cole doubled and homered (both in the nine-run third) and drove in three runs. Teammates Blake Flint and Ian McMillan had two RBi each.

MOUNTAIN POINTE 2, BASHA 1: Johnny Weaver doubled in the tie-breaking run in the top of the seventh to rally the No. 8 Pride past the top-seeded Bears at Diablo Stadium. 

Brock Bell went the distance for Mountain Pointe. He allowed four hits, two walks and struck out five. Bell didn't allow a hit over the final four innings. Bell fanned three of the final five batters and retired Basha 1-2-3 in the seventh.

Mountain Pointe trailed 1-0 heading to the sixth, but tied the game with help from a two-out error. Jaydon Brooks, who reached on the error, advanced to third on an infield single by Alex Bookman. A wild pitch by Basha starter Michael Perzan brought in Brooks.

PERRY 12, CAMPO VERDE 1 (5 inning): The No. 2 Pumas scored seven runs in the second inning and five in the fourth and run-ruled the No. 7 Coyotes at Maryvale Park.

Trevor Hauver hit a two-run homer and Tommy Sacco a two-run double in the second inning to erase a 1-0 deficit. Hauver finished with three RBI and Sacco and Beau Brieske had two RBI each. Brieske pitched all five innings and finished with a  two-hitter. Perry used six hits and six walks to full advantage. Garret Thornton drove in Campo Verde's only run.