Silverado looks for revenge vs. Blazers

Spencer Patterson

Friday, May 19, 2000 | 9:51 a.m.

Back on March 20, the second day of the prep baseball season, Durango and Silverado played an extra-inning game, with the Trailblazers downing nationally ranked Silverado 5-4.

Today, the two teams will meet again in a game with a bit more at stake -- namely, the inside track to this year's 4A state championship.

On Thursday, the two local representatives in this year's state tournament advanced with relatively easy wins at Henderson's Burkholder Field. Durango downed Reno, 10-7, in a game not as close as the final score indicated, while Silverado moved on with an 11-1, five-inning blowout of Carson.

"We lost to (Durango) early in the season, and coach said the only way we'll see them again is if we both make state," Skyhawks catcher Tommy Rojas said. "Now, we're both here and we want some revenge."

The teams will play today at 4 p.m., with the victor moving within a win of the state title. The loser will need to bounce back with three victories to claim the championship.

"They play the game well and they're the defending state champions, so we're looking forward to a good game," Silverado coach Brian Whitaker said.

The Trailblazers (29-8) took control of their first-round game against the Huskies (29-7) at the plate, chasing Reno ace Marc Kaiser in the sixth inning after pounding out 11 hits off the University of Arizona signee.

Senior Chris Kelly led the assault, blasting a pair of two-run homers and finishing 3-for-3 with five RBIs. For the season, the first baseman has 16 homers -- a Durango record.

"We heard that (Kaiser) was saying he was going to come out and all he needed was one run," Kelly said. "Once we heard that, we got fired up. If he's going to beat us, he's going to have to score 10 runs."

Adding to the offensive onslaught were senior Brandon Perry (3-for-4, two doubles) and sophomore Coltyn Simmons (2-for-3, RBI).

The Blazers also got a solid outing from right-hander E.J. Shanks. The senior worked six innings, scattering eight hits and striking out seven.

Once Shanks gave way to reliever Nate Bumstead, things got a little scary for the locals. Bumstead, who entered with a 10-4 lead, walked the first four batters he faced and gave up a two-run double to Riley Johnson before eventually striking out the side.

Silverado (23-6) got out of the gates slowly against the Senators (21-13) in Game 2, as Skyhawks senior Robbie Van and Carson's Kenneth Heald battled in what started as a classic pitchers' duel.

But with Silverado leading 3-1, the Skyhawks exploded for eight runs in the fifth -- knocking out Heald and evoking the mercy rule.

Rojas spearheaded the explosion. He tripled home a run and singled home two more in his second at-bat of the inning to end the game. The senior finished 3-for-4 with four RBIs.

"Today I was sick, so I felt I had to focus more and be more patient," Rojas said. "When they changed pitchers, I felt something great coming on."

Van wound up with a two-hitter, striking out seven batters and walking just one. The only run he allowed was unearned.

Senior Mike Eshragh went 3-for-4 with two RBIs for the Skyhawks, and senior Jeremy West went 2-for-3 and drove in two runs.