BLAZER BASH: Jordan’s triple sparks Shadow Ridge

Eric Jordan’s two-run triple in the bottom of the third inning Tuesday served two purposes for Shadow Ridge’s baseball team.

First, it gave his coaches and teammates a bit of a scare since he went down injured at the end of the play. More importantly, it provided a spark to the Mustangs’ slumbering offense.

“Hitting became contagious,” Shadow Ridge coach Frank Tousa said. “The kids started relaxing a little bit, like, ‘OK, we can do this now.’”

Jordan’s hit kick-started a seven-run inning, and the Mustangs went on to beat Banning (Calif.) 13-3 in five innings during the Blazer Spring Bash at Centennial.

Shadow Ridge (10-8), which finished 2-1 in pool play, ran itself out of a potential threat in the first inning and fell behind when the Pilots strung together four hits off Chris Opolka and took advantage of an error to score three runs in the top of the second.

Jordan then made it 3-2 when he drove a pitch from Banning starter Gabriel Ruiz into the gap in right-center field. The junior hurt himself rounding second base and hopped the final 40 feet on his right foot before collapsing near third.

Tousa said Jordan injured his big toe, but he stayed in the game and added a run-scoring single in the fourth to complete a 3-for-3 day.

“I don’t know if it popped out and popped back in,” Tousa said. “I thought it was an ankle the way he pulled up, or a hamstring or a calf. Once he started moving it, he was like ‘OK, it feels all right now.’ “

After a brief delay to tend to Jordan, Trevin Reynolds singled to tie the game, and three batters later, Robbie Galvan’s run-scoring single put the Mustangs on top 4-3. Opolka followed with a two-run double to left before Dustin McDonald had an RBI single to give Shadow Ridge a 7-3 advantage.

“We made a couple of mistakes early running,” Tousa said. “We hit the ball decent early, too, but it was right at them. We had to stay with our approach, and balls started falling for us.”

The Mustangs sent 10 batters to the plate in the bottom of the fourth and scored five runs. In addition to Jordan’s RBI single, Reynolds had a sacrifice fly and Kyle Gaura ripped a two-run triple to left-center two batters later. Galvan then lined a single to left that scored Gaura and put Shadow Ridge up 12-3.

Tyler Burton led off the bottom of the fifth with a triple and scored on a single by Cody Juneman, who pinch hit for Jordan, to end the game because of the 10-run rule.

Burton was 3-for-3 as Shadow Ridge banged out 17 hits. Koby Millner, Jake Wilson and Galvan finished with two hits apiece.

“Everybody hit the ball well and hit stuff on a line instead of popping it up,” Tousa said. “At times we kind of lose our focus and get to where we hit a lot of pop ups. We’ve been working on that, to hit the top third of the baseball and hit it on the ground, line drive, and make them make plays.”

Opolka settled down after the second inning and finished with five strikeouts and one walk while giving up seven hits and two earned runs. He retired the final eight batters in order after Banning put runners on first and second with one out in the third.

“They had some seeing-eye hits,” Tousa said. “He’s pitched well the last couple of times out. He got a couple of second and third pitch for strikes, so that always helps.”

Cimarron-Memorial 13, Independence (Calif.) 0 — At Cimarron, Luis Flores’ grand slam with two outs in the fifth inning allowed the Spartans to defeat the Falcons via the mercy rule.

Adam Mitchell was 2-for-2 with a solo home run, and Trevor Lippard, Todd Danzeisen and Trent Bixby each added two hits for Cimarron, which led 1-0 after three innings.

Tyler Baca and Noah Parker combined on a four-hitter for the Spartans.

Cimarron-Memorial 10, Damonte Ranch 0 — At Cimarron, Larry Quaney tossed a one-hitter with nine strikeouts and no walks as the Spartans blanked the Mustangs in five innings.

Jeff Griffith was 2-for-2 with a solo home run and two runs, and Danzeisen went 2-for-2 with a double, a run and three RBIs for Cimarron.

Basic 8, Northridge (Colo.) 0 — At Durango, Josh McLean threw a three-hitter to lead the Wolves past the Grizzlies.

McLean struck out two, walked two and also doubled.

Cory Wills went 2-for-4 with a triple and three RBIs, and teammate David Hudleson was 2-for-3 with a double and a run for Basic. Logan Green added two hits and two runs for the Wolves.

Basic 13, Centennial (Calif.) 5 — At Durango, Jack Wold was 4-for-5 with three doubles, a home run, four RBIs and two runs to lead the Wovles over the Golden Hawks.

Ryne Nelson went 2-for-3 with a homer, three RBIs and three runs, and Garrett Giles was 3-for-4 with two runs for Basic, which had 16 hits.

Tanner Roundy was 2-for-4 with a homer and two RBIs, and Roger Riley went 2-for-3 with two RBIs for the Wolves.

Trevor Berg went the distance, allowing just three hits, to get the win.

Colby Freeman had a three-run homer, and Brock Hallum added a two-run homer during Centennial’s five-run third inning.

Arbor View 12, Reed 2 — At Arbor View, Wyatte Velasco had a double and four RBIs to lead the Aggies to the five-inning over the Raiders.

Ben Cutting and Jayce Gardner each added two hits for Arbor View.

Arbor View 4, Cottonwood (Utah) 3 — At Arbor View, Gardner was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh to force home the winning run.

Winning pitcher Ryan Brown led off the bottom of the seventh with a single. R.J. Rodriguez bunted, and an errant throw by the pitcher put runners at second and third. Sam Pastrone was intentionally walked to load the bases for Gardner.

Pastrone had two hits, and also pitched six solid innings, allowing three runs on four hits with eight strikeouts.

Faith Lutheran 10, Verdugo Hills (Calif.) 0 — At Centennial, Dominic Grant tossed a two-hitter to lead the Crusaders by the Dons in six innings.

Grant struck out three and walked four.

Greg Sylvester had three hits and two RBIs, and Zach Trageton added three hits for Faith Lutheran, which got two hits from Joshua Harmonay.

Faith Lutheran 8, Banning (Calif.) 5 — At Centennial, Harmonay had three hits to lead the Crusaders past the Pilots.

Cruz Daddario and Jacob Koentopp each drove in two runs for Faith Lutheran.

Centennial 12, Galena 8 — At Centennial, Jake Portaro was 2-for-4 with two doubles and four RBIs as the Bulldogs beat the Grizzlies in six innings.

Tanner Wright was 2-for-2 with three runs, and Anthony Saccente and Tyler Hennis each added two hits and an RBI for Centennial.

Nate Barry and Travis Bohall each went 3-for-4 with a triple for Galena.

San Fernando (Calif.) 5, Sierra Vista 1 — At Sierra Vista, Eddie Mendez had two hits, and the Tigers used a three-run fourth inning to top the Mountain Lions.

McQueen 13, Sierra Vista 3 — At Sierra Vista, Cameron Thomas had four hits as the Lancers topped the Mountain Lions in six innings.

Michael Behm and Terrance Hammond each added three hits for McQueen.

Sean Cutolo had two RBIs for Sierra Vista.

San Pedro (Calif.) 18, Las Vegas 8 — At Las Vegas, the Pirates took advantage of 10 walks, five hit batters and six errors to rout the Wildcats in five innings.

Cheech Pacheco had a double and a triple for San Pedro.

Carson (Calif.) 4, Durango 2 — At Durango, the Coltes scored two runs in the top of the third to take a lead and held on to top the Trailblazers.

Josh Barry was 3-for-4 with a double for Durango.