No. 1 Shadow Ridge routs No. 4 Sierra Vista — PHOTOS
Shadow Ridge coach Travis Juneman said he can always count on starting pitcher Brayden Somers.
With the playoffs beginning in two weeks and the Mustangs eyeing a second consecutive Class 4A state baseball title, Somers proved his coach right.
The junior right-hander threw a complete-game shutout with 15 strikeouts as Shadow Ridge, ranked No. 1 in the Review-Journal’s 4A baseball rankings, rolled to a 10-0 road win over No. 4 Sierra Vista on Wednesday.
“Brayden probably has the most composure I’ve ever seen, and he has a great work ethic,” Juneman said. “I know every day when I give him the ball, he’s ready to go and he’ll show out for a full seven and give us the best opportunity to win.”
Somers needed 90 pitches to go the distance and help Shadow Ridge (22-5, 9-0 4A Desert League) to its sixth straight win. He attacked the strike zone, throwing 66 strikes and getting first-pitch strikes on 17 of the 24 batters for Sierra Vista (11-15, 7-1 4A Mountain League). He allowed two hits and only three base runners.
“I was just feeling good today and was ready to play,” Somers said.
Somers had plenty of support. Seven Shadow Ridge players recorded a hit, and 12 reached base. Junior shortstop Brock Morrow went 2-for-4 with two RBIs, and senior second baseman Michael Brown went 2-for-3 with two RBIs.
“We have 22 guys on this roster, and I know that each and every single guy on this team is going to get a big at-bat or inning when we need it,” Juneman said. “They trust us as coaches and we trust them as players, and it creates a great atmosphere for these guys.”
Shadow Ridge left a runner on base in each of the first three innings, but wouldn’t miss its opportunity in the fourth.
After Morrow led off the inning with a single, junior right fielder Grayson Tressler brought him home on a single. A pair of Sierra Vista errors helped three more Shadow Ridge runs score. Brown’s two-run double capped off the inning as the Mustangs scored all four runs with two outs.
Shadow Ridge found similar two-out success in the sixth. With the bases loaded, senior center fielder Ty Silva’s single added another run and started another rally. Morrow drove in two runs on a single, and junior third baseman Christian Wilkes’ single scored another.
After allowing a first-inning double, Somers retired the next 14 batters. He capped off a dominant outing with seven straight strikeouts.
“We were ready to go,” Somers said. “We got the runs, and I went out there and showed out.”
Shadow Ridge added two more runs in the seventh despite not having a hit in the inning. A walk and two hit batters loaded the bases, and two runs scored on a Sierra Vista throwing error.
First baseman Chase Frey and designated hitter Austin Angelo each had a hit for Sierra Vista.
Juneman said he was pleased with how the Mustangs put together a full seven-inning performance. He said their recent dominant showings help give him confidence that they can win another state title.
“This team right here, no doubt has what it takes to win another championship,” Juneman said. “It’s just keeping these guys engaged and focused on the task at hand as coaches. And I feel like we have a really good shot at going in and showing our dominance.”
Contact Alex Wright at awright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlexWright1028 on Twitter.
