Durango, Silverado rally for victories

Spencer Patterson

Friday, Aug. 13, 1999 | 10:55 a.m.

For the better part of Thursday night's American Legion Western Regional Tournament games, local squads Durango and Silverado looked like anything but the event's host teams.

The Trailblazers and Skyhawks were shut out for a combined 10 innings in their opening-round contests, struggling against clubs from California and Utah, respectively.

But after settling down and adjusting to the opposition pitching, both Nevada entries came out on top, with Durango posting a tight 5-4 win over Chatsworth (Calif.) and Silverado invoking the 10-run rule in a 16-4 victory over Orem (Utah).

For the Trailblazers (64-20), it took a clutch, two-out rally in the bottom of the eighth inning to best a tough California club that has six players headed to Division I schools this fall.

"Nine-inning games are long games, and if you can get (the opposing pitcher) to throw some pitches early, maybe it will come down to help you in the end," Durango coach Tom Appleyard said.

And for the Skyhawks (51-7), four scoreless innings were alleviated by a five-run fifth and an 11-run assault in the sixth.

"I think they were nervous, probably trying to do more than they needed to do early on," Silverado coach Art Besser said. "But once they got the five runs, they started rolling a little bit."

Also on Thursday, Greeley (Colo.) downed Las Cruces (N.M.), 15-4, in the day's opener, and Kalani (Hawaii) slipped past Tucson (Ariz.), 7-5.

* DURANGO 5, CHATSWORTH 4: The Trailblazers failed to register a run off UCLA-bound left-hander Michael Kunes (5-1) until the bottom of the seventh, stranding nine baserunners in the first six innings.

The Chancellors (38-6), meanwhile, had little trouble getting to Durango starter E.J. Shanks early, with the game's first two batters doubling off the right-hander in a two-run first.

But Shanks, winner of last spring's 4A state title game, settled down from there, allowing just five hits and one run during his final 7 1/3 innings of work.

"That's a typical E.J. Shanks game," Appleyard said. "He comes out and maybe some people get to him, but he comes back and battles."

Trailing 3-1 in the eighth, Durango's bats finally came to life. With runners on first and second and two men out, Brent Johnson singled to load the bases -- setting the table for teammates Brandon Perry and Chris Kelly.

Perry (3-4) then singled to left-field, sending home two runners to knot the game at three. Moments later, Kelly slapped a two-RBI single up the middle to give his team a 5-3 lead.

"Their pitcher threw a great game," Perry said. "He had a knuckleball or a splitter that was real nasty, but he started getting a little tired. Then it was either put or shut up time."

Chatsworth rallied for one run in the top of the ninth, but Durango closer Eric Kitchen struck out cleanup hitter Scott Sellz with the bases loaded to save the day for the locals.

"It's been that way all year for us -- nothing's come easy," Appleyard said. "They're a good ballclub and that's a tough loss for them."

Durango will face Tucson (33-18) tonight following the conclusion of the 5 p.m. game between Silverado and Las Cruces (30-5).

* SILVERADO 16, OREM 4: The Skyhawks spotted their foes from Utah a 4-0 lead after three innings, then blew them out by sending 16 men to the plate in an ugly sixth inning.

"We want to go out and win the first game," Besser said. "It sets the tone."

While his offense gave him plenty of support, Silverado left-hander Robbie Van got the job done on the mound, scattering three hits and striking out 13 men in the seven-inning contest.

"I just had to get ahead in the counts," said Van, who fanned the game's final four batters. "My curveball was working tonight, and I just had to get ahead to throw it."

Jeremy West (3-5, 2 runs), Vincent Valiente (2-3, 3 RBI) and James Wickman (2-4, 4 RBI) were among the many offensive stars for the Skyhawks, who were also aided by 12 walks and two hit batters by Orem pitchers Chris Hunter and Shane Hill.

With their 16 runs Thursday night, Silverado's postseason total now stands at 99 runs in seven contests.