SUNSET BASEBALL: Borowski’s walk-off homer sends Spartans past Aggies
Cimarron-Memorial coach Mike Hubel has probably never been happier to see a player not get a bunt down.
Hubel told Nick Borowski to look to drag bunt with one out in the bottom of the eighth inning. But after failing to bunt on the first pitch, Borowski drove an 0-1 pitch over the right field fence to lift the Spartans to a 6-5 home win over Arbor View in the Sunset Region tournament on Tuesday.
“I told him at the beginning of the inning, if we don’t get anybody on, look to drag bunt. At least get us a base runner, give us a shot,” Hubel said. “He tried that drag bunt, and then he looked over in the dugout and I just told him to swing it. Hopefully he’ll catch one, and he did.”
The Spartans (25-6) play Bonanza (17-14) in the winners’ bracket final at 4 p.m. Wednesday at Sierra Vista.
“Just to put a good swing on a big pitch, it was good stuff,” Borowski said. “It was fun to be part of, that’s for sure.”
The Spartans were one out away from closing out the game in regulation when Arbor View’s P.J. Gonzalez hit a solo homer to right field to tie the game at 5-5. It was the second straight day the Aggies had rallied in the seventh to force extra innings.
“With two outs, a tying home run, that’s heart breaking,” Hubel said. “(Pitcher Matt) Mosca was doing good. His change-up was good, he just hung one and the kid hit it out. It’s part of baseball.”
It was the only mistake Mosca made in 3 1/3 innings of relief. He allowed just one hit, and struck out five.
“He hasn’t really pitched very much, he’s been hurt quite a bit,” Hubel said. “But he’s healthy now, and that’s what we’re going to look for him to do, come out of the pen and be effective.”
Cimarron led 4-2 before the Aggies (30-5) got RBI singles from Gonzalez and Tyler Peterson in the bottom of the fifth to tie the game.
Cimarron came back with an unearned run in the fifth to take the lead when No. 9 hitter Logan Bottrell lined a two-out RBI single to right.
Borowski was 2-for-3 with two runs, and Gerald Robins, Jayson Hicks, Ricky Dorantes and Bottrell each added two hits.
Gonzalez went 4-for-4 with four RBIs to lead Arbor View, which plays Shadow Ridge (29-4) in an elimination game at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Sierra Vista.
Bonanza 8, Bishop Gorman 5 — At Gorman, with Bonanza down a run in the seventh and the seven, eight, nine hitters due up, coach Derek Stafford had one request.
“We told them we need base runners,” Stafford said. “We told them to be patient. Honestly, I liked our approach all day. It just took a little time to push one across.”
The Bengals didn’t take long to score the rest.
Bonanza plated seven runs in the inning, including six with two outs to upset the Gaels (27-6-1).
The Bengals tied the game 2-2 on Brett Doyle’s groundout, and Joaquin Orozco gave Bonanza the lead with a two-run single up the middle.
Two-run homers by Travis Ming and Alec Taft pushed the lead to 8-2.
“We needed all of them, because they scored three in the bottom frame,” Stafford said. “We told the guys before the game we’re a dangerous team. Our assistant coach, Mike O’ Rourke, told them ‘you’ve got nothing to lose.’ We’re a four seed wearing yellow pants ... what did we have to lose?”
Sean DeSoto, Cruz Nevarez and Doyle each had a pair of hits for Bonanza, which beat Gorman for the second time this season.
Kenny Meimerstorf and Cadyn Grenier each had two hits for Gorman, which got a solo home run in the seventh from Michael Blasko.
The Gaels play Desert Oasis in an elimination game at 1 Wednesday at Sierra Vista.
Desert Oasis 2, Spring Valley 1 — At Desert Oasis, Joel Lewis hit a sacrifice fly to left field with one out in the bottom of the seventh to give the Diamondbacks the win over the Grizzlies.
Chris Van Kuren led off the inning with a single and stole second. After an intentional walk, the runners were bunted to second and third. Another intentional walk brought up Lewis with the bases loaded.
Van Kuren went the distance to get the win. He didn’t allow an earned run, struck out three and allowed six hits.
Daniel Endsley allowed just four hits in a complete game for Spring Valley, which finished 13-16-1.
Shadow Ridge 9, Sierra Vista 6 — At Shadow Ridge, winning pitcher Logan Hold went the distance, striking out eight, and went 3-for-3 with a double and a run to lead the Mustangs past the Lions.
Brady Hoskins supplied two hits and two RBIs, and Alec Pittsenbarger was 2-for-3 with two runs for Shadow Ridge (29-4), which also got a double from Tyler Burton.
Tyler Burdett went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs, and Bailey Welter was 2-for-2 with a double and an RBI for Sierra Vista, which finished 22-11.
