Wozniak’s arm keeps Titans alive in Legion

With his team facing elimination, Bishop Gorman coach Nick Day was uncharacteristically edgy as he sent his players onto the field Monday.

Starting pitcher Adam Wozniak wasted no time soothing his coach’s nerves.

Wozniak, used sparingly on the mound during the regular season, scattered four hits over eight innings and struck out seven to lift the Titans to a 6-1 victory over Bonanza in a losers’ bracket game in the American Legion state tournament at UNLV’s Wilson Stadium.

Michael Blasko powered Gorman (37-10) with four RBIs, including a two-run homer.

“It’s not fun to be staring at the losers’ bracket,” said Day, whose team lost its first-round game to Coronado on Saturday. “But the way this tournament is set up, things aren’t as bad as they could be. You can still come back and do it.”

Cadyn Grenier and Blasko each went 2-for-4 for the Titans, who will face Durango (51-23) in another elimination game at 5 p.m. Wednesday, with the survivor playing Coronado (14-10) at 8 p.m. Thursday.

The Titans, winners of five of the last six state championships, scored in the first inning on Blasko’s sacrifice fly and pulled away with a run in the third, two in the sixth and two in the seventh.

Blasko had an RBI double off the left-field wall in the third, and Wozniak had little trouble holding the lead.

“I just tried to keep throwing strikes and let them hit the ball,” said the right-hander, who was backed by several impressive defensive plays. “I knew I had my team behind me.”

Day said he has begun to rely on Wozniak as a clutch pitcher.

“He doesn’t do anything tricky and he doesn’t overpower people,” Day said. “But he throws three pitches for strikes. He’s very effective when he mixes up those pitches.”

Pinch hitter Brandon Wulff supplied a two-run single in the sixth, and Blasko’s homer made it 6-0 in the seventh.

Bonanza (16-13) spoiled the shutout in the ninth against Nick Gates when Travis Ming’s fielder’s choice grounder scored Jack Orozco. Ming went 2-for-4 to lead the Bengals.

Coronado 2, Durango 0 — Chandler Blanchard and relievers Chad Scott and Julian Burrola combined on a four-hitter to propel the eighth-seeded Cougars past No. 5 Durango in a winners’ bracket game.

Blanchard worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the sixth inning to protect a 1-0 lead.

Dillon Fahr walked and scored on a wild pitch in the first, and Kaleb Blyton’s RBI single in the ninth supplied an insurance run for the Cougars. They were held to five hits, two by Miles Bice.

Losing pitcher Cameron Coombs struck out 11 in eight innings, scattering four hits. Billy Santiwan had two singles for Durango.