Basic, Durango Legion advance

Spencer Patterson

Monday, July 31, 2000 | 10:25 a.m.

When the pairings for this year's American Legion State Tournament were announced last week, one potential second-round matchup jumped off the page: Durango vs. Reno.

With victories in Round 1, the Trailblazers and Knights could have forced a rematch of the most infamous contest in recent state history -- the double-forfeit that left Nevada without a large-school high school title game in 2000.

That was averted, at least temporarily, on Sunday, when No. 4 seed Basic outlasted No. 5 Reno, 9-7 in Game 1 at UNLV's Wilson Stadium. In the nightcap, top-seeded Durango breezed past No. 8 Green Valley, 13-3 in a game ended by the 10-run rule in the seventh inning.

Local baseball fans will have to settle for a matchup of two of Southern Nevada's top high school pitchers -- 2000 Durango graduate E.J. Shanks versus Basic junior-to-be Matt Elliott. The right-handers will do battle Tuesday one hour after the conclusion of the 4 p.m. loser's-out contest between Green Valley and Reno.

"If we played Reno, it would have been a tough matchup, but Basic is a good ballclub ... they beat us earlier in the year," Durango Legion coach Tom Appelyard said.

The Blazers (57-17) and Wolves (30-13) split their two meetings this summer, with Basic winning their lone conference duel.

"We're going out to play our brand of baseball, and hopefully come out of the chute a little quicker than we did tonight," said Basic coach Mike Kazek, whose club faced an uphill battle Sunday after falling behind by early scores of 4-0 and 5-1 against the Knights (35-21).

The Wolves closed the gap to 5-4 in the fourth inning on Nate Goodman's two-run single, then took control with a four-run fifth. Mark Rose and Trevor Markwell each singled home a run and Brandon Gainey's double scored two more, as Basic batted around.

Durango's win came much easier, as the Blazers took a quick 9-3 lead with three runs in the first, second and third innings.

Brent Johnson, who will suit up for UNLV this spring, blasted a two-run homer in the third and scored runs in each of the first three innings.

Johnson also tossed a complete-game five-hitter, striking out seven batters and walking two. Durango's Chris Kelly finished 3-for-5 with two doubles and an RBI, and Jeff Jacobsen and Coltyn Simmons -- two incoming juniors -- combined to go 6-for-9. Chris McGovern went 2-for-3 for Gators (21-12).