Cole Schaefer gets out of jam, preserves Desert Oasis win over Gorman
Cole Schaefer was facing about as high-pressure a situation as there is on Monday, but the Desert Oasis reliever didn’t seem to mind.
Schaefer came on with the bases loaded and one out and his team clinging to a one-run lead in the sixth, but he induced an inning-ending double play, and the top-ranked Diamondbacks held on to beat visiting Bishop Gorman, 9-8.
“In a way, there was no pressure, because I knew I had to throw a strike,” Schaefer said. “Walks kind of plagued us a little bit that game. Let them get themselves out, and luckily, they did that time.”
After watching the first three Desert Oasis pitchers walk 11 batters in 5 1/3 innings, Schaefer came on with the bases loaded and his team clinging to an 8-7 lead.
Schaefer got Max Prescott to ground into a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning.
The Diamondbacks (24-3, 13-0 Southwest League) added an important insurance run in the bottom of the sixth when Prescott dropped Schaefer’s two-out fly ball to right allowing Jordan DeMarce to score.
Schaefer was able to get through the top of Gorman’s order in the seventh. He allowed an RBI single to Austin Wells, but eventually fanned John Gaughan to end the game.
“He’s been our guy at the end of games all year, and today was no different,” Desert Oasis coach Paul Buboltz said. “When we needed a couple big outs, we put him in there and that double play in the sixth was huge.
“He did a real nice job coming in there. He’s a senior, and he deserves it.”
Desert Oasis took a 6-5 lead on a two-run triple by Jason Sharman, then extended the lead on Chaison Miklich’s two-run homer in the fifth. But Miklich and D.J. Richardson struggled on the mound in the sixth, allowing an RBI single by Ryan Sepede and a bases-loaded walk before Schaefer came on to get out of the jam.
Sharman and DeMarce each went 2-for-3, and Zac Czerniawski went 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI for Desert Oasis. Tyler Curtis was 2-for-3 with a double and a triple, and Wells went 2-for-2 with two runs and an RBI for third-ranked Gorman (20-5, 12-1).
Contact prep sports editor Damon Seiters at dseiters@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4587. Follow @DamonSeiters on Twitter.
Box score:
Desert Oasis 9, Bishop Gorman 8
Monday's highlights
Baseball
— Spring Valley's Jonathan Bakken went 3-for-4 with a homer and two RBIs in a 12-2 road win over Sierra Vista.
— Moapa Valley's Luke Bennett was 4-for-5 with a grand slam and eight RBIs in a 24-0 road win over Del Sol.
— Desert Pines' Juan Castaneda was 3-for-4 with two doubles a homer and four RBIs and struck out 10 in a 14-2 road win over Sunrise Mountain.
Softball
— Virgin Valley's Taylor Barnum homered and drove in three runs in a 13-11 home win over Boulder City.
— Desert Oasis' Fia Tofi was 3-for-4 with a grand slam in a 19-9 home victory over Bishop Gorman.
— Desert Pines' Laisha Sanchez hit two home runs in an 18-5 road win over Sunrise Mountain.
