SUNRISE REGION: Skyhawks outslug Wildcats in Sunrise Region opener

But Silverado (18-14) matched Harper homer for homer and then some. The Skyhawks slammed five home runs, including a pair by junior Drew Robinson, as they defeated the Northeast League champs 11-6 at Las Vegas in the opening round of the Sunrise Region tournament.

“I guess we just felt it from the start,” said Robinson, who hit a solo homer to dead center in the fifth and a two-run homer to right in the seventh. “Once one person starts, it follows through the whole game.”

Robinson’s second homer gave the Skyhawks a five-run lead and some much-needed breathing room.

“We swung it pretty good today,” Silverado coach Brian Whitaker said. “But that game was always in doubt. When you play a ballclub like that, it’s no over until it’s over.”

Harper staked the Wildcats (23-10) to a 1-0 lead after leading off the bottom of the first with a homer, and his solo shot in the third made it 2-1.

Each time, Silverado answered with a homer of its own. Pierce Belaustegui hit a solo homer leading off the second to tie the game 1-1, and Tanner Dushane hit a one-out homer in the fourth to make it 2-2.

Dushane’s shot started a seven-run inning that gave the Skyhawks the lead for good.

“Those two shots there I think gave us some confidence,” Whitaker said. “After that second one, we kind of spiraled and had a good inning there.”

Bobby Johnson added a two-run homer, Braden Keathley had a two-run double and Morgan Stotts hit an RBI single in the fourth as Silverado went ahead 8-2.

Robinson’s first homer made it 9-2 before Las Vegas rallied for four in the bottom of the fifth to cut the lead to 9-6. Wes Grass’s three-run homer highlighted the big inning for Las Vegas.

The Wildcats threatened again in the bottom of the sixth. They had runners at second and third with one out. But Keathley struck out

Grass for the second out. Silverado intentionally walked Harper to load the bases, and Keathley got Brig Jensen to ground out to short to end the threat.

Whitaker said he had no choice but to walk Harper, who was 3-for-3 with three runs.

“You hate to do that to a high school guy, but we gave him three at-bats and everything we threw up there, he handled pretty well,” Whitaker said. “So I couldn’t give him anything to hit at.”

Keathley battled through the tough fifth to throw a complete game.

“That’s our first seven-inning complete game for our whole team,” Whitaker said. “He really came up big for us today. He deserves it.”

Robinson, Belaustegui, Stotts and Freddy Medina each had two hits for Silverado, which plays Foothill at 4 p.m. today at Las Vegas.

Las Vegas plays Valley at 1 p.m. in an elimination game.

Foothill 12, Valley 2 — At Foothill, Kyle Moyes went 3-for-3 with a three-run homer and five RBIs and Jordan Stewart went 4-for-4 with two doubles to help the Falcons (17-14) defeat the Vikings (13-14) in six innings.

Jordan Mathis added a home run for Foothill, and winning pitcher Jake Ferdinand had six strikeouts and supplied a double.

Rancho 11, Coronado 2 — At Rancho, Brandon Pletsch went 3-for-4 with two doubles, three RBIs and three runs to lead the Rams (27-6) past the Cougars (12-15).

Gabe Chavira, Eric Holdren and Roy Sipes each had a double and Michael Cruz and Scott Koenen supplied two hits apiece for Rancho.

Coronado’s Cody Giordano went 2-for-2 with a double.

Coronado plays Eldorado at 1 p.m. today at Green Valley in an elimination game. Rancho plays Green Valley at 4 p.m.

Green Valley 15, Eldorado 0 — At Green Valley, Tyler Blair went 3-for-3 with three runs and Rudy Strnad went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs as the Gators (22-10) shut out the Sundevils (15-13) in five innings.

Nick Libonati combined with David Opperman on a two-hitter for Green Valley, with Libonati getting the win. Anthony Uran contributed a double and three runs and Brett Harrison supplied a triple for the Gators, who took advantage of 12 walks and three hit batsmen.