Top two seeds — Blue Sox and Aces — to meet for state championship

New season. Different league. Same result.

The Southern Nevada Blue Sox - comprised of players from Basic and Green Valley High Schools - defeated Centennial 12-2 Thursday night in the American Legion State Tournament at UNLV’s Wilson Stadium.

In May, Basic defeated Centennial 9-1 to win the high school state title.

And while Thursday’s game wasn’t for a championship, it eliminated Centennial and sent the Blue Sox to Saturday’s title game, where they’ll face the Las Vegas Aces, a team made up of players from Desert Oasis and Sierra Vista High Schools.

The Blue Sox (49-11) didn’t waste any time against Centennial, scoring two runs in each of the first two innings, then adding five in the third to take a 9-0 lead.

“I don’t think we thought we’d put up nine runs like that, but obviously throwing up nine runs was key to settling in,” Blue Sox coach Scott Baker said. “I’m not so much sure this team has a lot of nerves going on, but it’s always nice.”

Starter Ryne Nelson stymied Centennial’s hitters with an overpowering fastball - part of a three-pitch arsenal - while allowing four hits and two unearned runs over five innings. Nelson, who improved to 5-0, struck out seven.

“I thought Nelly was good tonight, I thought his v-lo was up, I thought his command was decent,” Baker said. “Overall he did what we wanted him to do.”

Jack Wold led the offense for the Sox, going 3-for-4 with two runs scored and three RBIs.

The Bulldogs (20-17) were led by Jake McLean, who went 2-for-5 with an RBI.

On to Saturday, when the Sox will have their sights set on adding a summer state title to their high school championship. A win would mark the second straight year the high school champion fielded the eventual American Legion state champ, as Bishop Gorman did it last year.

The Blue Sox and Aces (33-11) split their regular season series, with the Sox winning 10-4 at Desert Oasis, and the Aces winning on the final day of the season, 6-4 at Basic.

The second-seeded Aces will take a stellar pitching staff into the championship game, as they boast a 1.54 ERA and an opposing batting average of .197. Cole Schaefer has been the team’s most consistent pitcher, having thrown the most innings (16), while allowing just two earned runs for a 1.12 ERA.

On offense, Chris Van Kuren leads the team with a .615 batting average (8-for-13), while incoming UNLV freshman Bryson Stott is hitting .545 (6-for-11) with seven runs, a double, triple, home run and six RBIs.

“They’re a good club, they’re a veteran club like we are,” Baker said. “They have some older kids so they know how to win. I think it’s going to come down to our pitching. If we can shut them down we have a good chance.”

Baker’s pitching staff has allowed eight runs, but only one has been earned, as it boasts a 0.35 ERA. Starters Trent Bixby, CJ Dornak and Nelson have been dominating for the Sox thus far.

“They’ve been spectacular, it’s been exactly what we’ve wanted, they’re doing exactly what is expected, just executing pitches and not trying to do too much,” added Baker, who said Dornak will start the championship game. “It’s a fast-ball attack, everybody knows that with us. We’re not trying to trick anybody, we want to get quick outs, and get in the dugout as quick as we can to get our offense going.”

Which makes sense, since the Blue Sox have been an offensive machine in the state tournament, having scored 28 runs while hitting .378 with 13 extra basehits, including three home runs. Jack Wold is leading the attack, hitting .538, while Ryne Nelson and J.J. Smith are both hitting .500.

“I think it’s whoever gets the timely hits,” said Aces coach Paul Buboltz, who will hand the ball to pitcher Brett Brocoff. “Both teams are very solid and whoever makes the least amount of mistakes and gets timely hitting will come out on top.”

LV ACES 4, CORONADO 3 —- Stott stroked a 10th-inning home run Thursday night to lift the Aces to a win over the Cougars. The Aces tied the game 3-3 in the bottom of the ninth with two outs, when Joseph Calvert’s wild pitch scooted past catcher Braeden Ewing, allowing Schaefer to score.

Stott, who was voted Sunset Region Player of the Year during the high school season, finished 4-for-5 with two runs scored and an RBI to lead the Aces’ offense. Nicholas Lane (2-1) got the win while Calvert (3-2) took the loss for Coronado (10-16).