Sierra Vista lands last flurry in win

In the end, Sierra Vista finally dodged a blow or two and held on for a 13-12 home victory over the Wildcats.

The Mountain Lions gave up five runs in the opening half-inning, but answered with five of their own in the bottom.

Las Vegas counterpunched in the second inning with three more runs, but so did Sierra Vista, making the score 8-all.

“Both teams swung the bat pretty good. I don’t know how good the pitching was,” Sierra Vista coach Nate Selby said. “Neither one of us were doing much of anything, other than giving up a lot of hits early.”

Las Vegas led 10-8 entering the bottom of the fourth when Sierra Vista scored three runs to take the lead for good. Scotty Tomassetti’s two-run single put the Mountain Lions ahead 11-10.

That set up reliever Tommy Barnes to get the win. Barnes, who was 3-for-4 with three RBIs, at least slowed Las Vegas, allowing four runs in four innings.

“He did enough to keep us close, and then find a way to get enough hits to finally get a lead there,” Selby said. “And to flip it over and finally get a lead was nice.”

Barnes gave way to Blair Goldsack with a runner on and no outs in the seventh with Sierra Vista leading 13-11. Goldsack walked one and allowed an RBI ground-out, but struck out Brig Jensen with the tying run at third to end the game.

“(Goldsack) has been doing that all year so far,” Barnes said. “He’s been doing a really good job. Hopefully he keeps that up.”

Goldsack’s strikeout left Las Vegas star Bryce Harper in the on-deck circle when the game ended. That was just where Selby wanted him. Harper was 2-for-3 with a double and a monster two-run homer.

“We were very happy to see him not get to the plate,” Selby said. “He’s a pretty good player. And the best thing I can say about him is I think he’s playing hard.”

Jake Hager was 2-for-3 with a double and a solo homer, and Matt Holman had two hits and two RBIs for Sierra Vista.

Quinnton Mack was 3-for-3 with a homer, double and three RBIs for Las Vegas.