No. 5 Shadow Ridge edges No. 3 Las Vegas in extra innings — PHOTOS
Shadow Ridge knew exactly what needed to be done to secure its second league victory this week against Las Vegas High — continue to pound the zone late and collect big hits in key moments.
And hit in key moments the Mustangs sure did.
Senior catcher Kaleb Sturman hit a solo home run in the top of the eighth inning to give Shadow Ridge, No. 5 in the Review-Journal’s Class 5A rankings, a 5-4 road victory over the No. 3 Wildcats on Thursday.
“I was really just going up there looking for a fastball that I could do some damage with to try and get the team going,” Sturman said. “So I saw an elevated fastball, and I mean the energy was just through the roof after that. It was a great, great moment.”
Shadow Ridge (14-13-1, 7-2-1 5A Desert League) scored two runs in the seventh to tie the game off singles from senior Brock Morrow and sophomore Evan Noble.
The Mustangs got to reliever Carter Francom after six brilliant innings by junior Joseph Ponticello, who struck out 10 batters on 101 pitches in six innings for Las Vegas (18-7-1, 4-4).
Shadow Ridge coach Billy McCall said his squad has finally settled in and eliminated the mistakes it was making earlier in the season.
“Our problem all season was walks, and now we’re starting to figure it out,” McCall said.
“It’s just a tale of two seasons, man. A month ago we probably fold and give up on each other in this situation. It’s just amazing to see the growth out of these kids. They’re constantly fighting, they’re buying into each other, they’re playing for each other.”
The Mustangs also beat Las Vegas 2-0 on Tuesday.
Mississippi commit Bryden Bull opened the scoring for Las Vegas with a solo home run to right field in the first inning.
Shadow Ridge senior Grayson Tressler answered right back in the second with a crowd-silencing solo homer to right.
“My first pitch was a little long, and I heard the coach say, ‘Gray, you’re long.’ So I shortened up, got the fastball inside and pulled it,” Tressler said.
The Mustangs hold a 1½-game lead in the league standings over Coronado and Foothill.
“At first we kind of started out not clicking and not really moving along as a team, but now we’re stringing together hits as a team,” Tressler said. “Our teamwork has really increased throughout this season, and it’s looking scary.”
Junior Andrew Torres extended the Mustangs’ lead 2-1 in the third with a two-out single to right field, scoring senior Anthony Montesanti.
The Wildcats answered right back, tying the game 2-2 on a sacrifice fly from Kyle Iverson. Las Vegas then broke the tie in the fourth when Justin Romero hit an RBI double down the left-field line, followed by an RBI single to center from Tommy Vibabaul to extend the lead to 4-2.
After Shadow Ridge tied the game, junior Jackson Nelson threw a perfect seventh to get the win, and junior Gustavo Crawford closed the door in the eighth after Sturman’s homer.
McCall said the Mustangs’ chemistry will only continue to grow as they prepare to head into the playoffs.
“They all hang out, and it’s not just the varsity kids. It’s varsity and JV hanging out together,” he said. “They like being around each other, and that makes so much of a difference. They are all buying in.”
Contact Jacob Powers at jpowers@reviewjournal.com. Follow@jaypowers__ on X.