SUNRISE REGION: Bravin settles down, pitches Skyhawks into title game

Josh Bravin’s outing didn’t get off to an auspicious start Friday.

His first pitch went off the backstop, and that looked like it might be just a sign of things to come, as he walked three batters in the top of the first inning.

But after allowing a three-run homer in the second inning, Bravin settled in, finishing with a five-hitter to lead Silverado to an 8-3 victory over host Green Valley to move into the Sunrise Region title game.

“He was sloppy to start the game off,” Silverado coach Brian Whitaker said. “But he’s got real good stuff, and when he locates the ball, he can be tough.”

Silverado (24-9-1) faces Coronado (26-8) at 1 p.m. Saturday at Green Valley. Because Coronado has yet to lose in the double-elimination tournament, Silverado would have to win twice to claim the title and a berth at next week’s state tournament.

After walking the bases loaded with one out in the first, Bravin got a strikeout and a ground ball to end the inning.

Bravin walked the leadoff man again in the second, and Keaton Smith’s three-run home run to left field tied the game at 3. Whitaker conceded he had thoughts of going to the bullpen early.

“There came an instant there where I thought, 'maybe not today,’” Whitaker said. “But I said 'one more hitter,’ and after that he settled in pretty good.”

Bravin retired eight of the next nine batters after the homer, and stranded runners at third in each of the final four frames.

Green Valley (20-15) loaded the bases on a single and two walks in the seventh, but Bravin got Bradon Rogers to ground out to short to end the game.

“They had action on the bases quite a bit, but he kept pitching out of trouble and he gets us to tomorrow, so that was great,” Whitaker said.

Marty Sifuentes was 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs, and Cameron Rosser went 2-for-4 with two RBIs for Silverado, which scored three runs in each of the first two innings.

Bryan Faucher was 2-for-4 with two runs and an RBI for the Skyhawks, who lost 7-3 to Coronado on Thursday.

“We’re not taking the path that anyone desires at this point,” Whitaker said. “All you can do is line up and play. I love my team. They’re going to fight and I have a lot of confidence in them, so hopefully we’ll play well tomorrow.”

Green Valley advanced to play Silverado with a 10-0 win over Rancho earlier Friday.

Austin Garcia threw 4 2/3 innings of scoreless relief to help the Gators eliminate the Rams (20-14) with a five-inning win.

Garcia, a sophomore, yielded two hits, struck out four and walked one.

Alec Hutt hit a three-run home run, and Phillip McGovern was 2-for-4 with a double, two runs and an RBI for the Gators.