SUNRISE REGION: Myers rebounds, pitches Cougars into title game

Dylan Myers dug himself a bit of a hole in the first inning on Thursday, allowing Silverado to score three runs.

But that was all the junior right-hander allowed, and Coronado chipped away at the lead before scoring four runs in the top of the seventh to defeat the Skyhawks 7-3 in the winners’ bracket championship of the Sunrise Region baseball tournament at Green Valley.

“I was just rushing and probably trying to do too much,” Myers said of the first inning. “That happens to me sometimes, but I settled in.”

The win moved the Cougars (26-8) into Saturday’s Sunrise title game. Rancho (20-13) plays Green Valley (19-15) at 1 p.m. Friday, with Silverado (23-9-1) taking on the winner of that game at 4 p.m. for the right to meet Coronado. The Cougars would have to lose twice Saturday to not win the double-elimination tournament.

Myers allowed two earned runs on five hits in six innings to improve to 9-0. He struck out three, walked none and threw just 78 pitches, 57 of them for strikes.

“I just worked on my mechanics and figured out what I was doing wrong,” Myers said. “I knew my teammates would pull behind me and score me some runs. They’ve been doing that all year, and I knew my defense would back me up. And I just had faith in myself and my team, because I know what we can do. We can do a lot of special things.”

The Cougars scored single runs in the third, fourth and fifth innings to tie the game, then broke it open with four unearned runs in the seventh.

“We had good innings and put people on base,” Coronado coach David Padilla said. “We just tried to get on base, move him over and then score him. We did that for our first three runs. There was no big stuff today, but we did the little things.”

James Anderson led off the top of the seventh with a single, and was lifted for pinch runner Brad Fogal. Mike Meyers replaced Silverado starter Bryan Faucher on the mound and got Cody Howard to hit a grounder to first. But Faucher, who had thrown 111 pitches, threw wildly to second, putting runners at second and third.

After a strikeout and an intentional walk, Miles Bice grounded the ball to Faucher at first. Faucher tried to get an inning-ending double play, stepping on first and firing to the plate, but Fogal beat the throw for the go-ahead run.

Myers gave up a leadoff single to start the bottom of the seventh, before giving way to Chandler Blanchard, who got the next three batters to end the game.

“It was great to see him come in, and it was a great confidence booster for Saturday,” Myers said. “We pick each other up all the time throughout the year, and we have confidence in each other. And I’m excited to get to Saturday and see him go.”

Kaleb Blyton was 2-for-4 with two doubles and three RBIs, and Dillon Fahr and Anderson each added two hits for Coronado.

Faucher hit a two-run home run for Silverado.

Green Valley 10, Foothill 9 — Derrick Harmon’s two-out RBI single to right field in the bottom of the seventh plated Evan Van Hoosier with the winning run to eliminate the Falcons (20-13).

Harmon was 3-for-4, and had an RBI single in the fifth that gave the Gators a 9-8 lead.

“Great job from Derrick Harmon,” Green Valley coach Corey Gehlken said. “He came up clutch twice. That’s a great clutch performance by that kid.”

The Gators started the seventh-inning rally with two outs when Van Hoosier lined a single to right. Alec Hutt then singled up the middle to bring Harmon to the plate.

Hutt, who was 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI, pitched two solid innings of relief to get the win.  He threw 79 pitches in a start on Tuesday.

“He’s a senior,” Gehlken said. “Seniors have to suck it up sometimes. They don’t get to play next year. Every day they’re out here now is possibly the last game they could play at Green Valley High School. I think it’s starting to show that that means something to them.”

Tyler Morris went 2-for-4 with a double, a home run, three runs and three RBIs for Foothill.

Rancho 10, Las Vegas 6 — The Rams took advantage of six errors to score seven unearned runs and eliminate the Wildcats (19-12-1).

Matt Almodover was 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs, and David Modler went 3-for-4 with a double and three runs for Rancho, which trailed 5-0 after one inning.

Nick Chavez added two hits and three RBIs for the Rams.

Dustin Cash was 2-for-3 with two RBIs for Las Vegas.