Gators push Durango to the brink

Spencer Patterson

Tuesday, Aug. 3, 1999 | 10:49 a.m.

Less than two months after Durango ended their prep baseball season, the Green Valley Gators may have returned the favor in this year's American Legion Baseball State Tournament.

In a game eerily similar to the one the two teams played in the 1999 Southern Zone playoffs, Green Valley posted a wild 4-2 victory over the Trailblazers Monday night at Wilson Stadium, sending the high school state champs to the brink of elimination.

While Green Valley (30-12) moves on to face Bishop Gorman (41-13) tonight at 5 p.m., the Blazers (63-20) are out of the event, although still with a chance to make the upcoming Region 8 Tournament. If Silverado wins the state title, Durango would make regionals by virtue of its second-place regular season finish.

"I wish everybody the best of luck, but obviously we have to root for Silverado," Durango coach Tim Appleyard said. "I'm sure the best representatives will go to regionals."

As they did in May, the Gators led for most of Monday's ballgame, taking a 4-1 lead into the bottom of the ninth inning behind the strong pitching of starter Guy Welch. And that's when things got interesting.

With one run in, one man out and the bases loaded, Durango's Chris Kelly grounded to Green Valley third baseman Billy Schmitt. Schmitt threw to Mark Merrifield, forcing Brandon Perry at second base.

Perry slid into second, then quickly stood up, and umpire Ted Williams ruled that he interfered with a potential double play -- even though there was no throw forthcoming from Schmitt.

The game over in bizarre fashion, Durango's coaches attempted to speak with Williams about the incident, but said they never received a satisfactory explanation.

"It's frustrating when it's decided like that, but that's why they have umpires," Appleyard said. "It was his interpretation and not ours. But he wouldn't tell us what the call was."

In the May playoff meeting between the two teams, a similar controversial ruling helped the Blazers rally past Green Valley to clinch a zone playoff berth. In that one, umpires ruled that Gator John Grose left third base early on a critical tag-up play in the sixth inning.

"This was a pretty important game to them," Green Valley coach Kurt Gehlken said. "But this is a pretty loose bunch of guys. I'm pretty emotional, but they don't show much emotion."

The disputed ending overshadowed a solid performance from Welch (7-2), who scattered six hits in his eight innings of work. The senior-to-be held the Blazers scoreless until the sixth inning, when he gave up a solo homer to Kelly.

"Guy Welch was the man tonight," Gehlken said. "We were talking about getting him into the fifth inning, but he kept getting stronger and stronger. That's eight innings for what's been our No. 4 pitcher against the state champions."

* SILVERADO 15, WESTERN 4: Shortstop Ryan Ruiz went 5-5 with a pair of home runs and four RBIs as the Skyhawks stayed in the hunt and knocked the Warriors out in a seven-inning affair.

Already ahead 8-3, Silverado (47-7) broke the game wide open in the bottom of the sixth, sending 10 men to the plate and scoring eight times. Eric Nielsen smashed a two-run homer, Ruiz added a solo shot and five Skyhawks singled to open the floodgates.

Joe Carque (6-1) went the distance for the victory, limiting Western to 11 hits.

With the win, Silverado avenged Saturday's 10-8 loss to the Warriors (32-22). The Skyhawks will face Basic (33-16) tonight at 8 p.m.