Blazers to meet Warriors for title

Spencer Patterson

Friday, Aug. 10, 2001 | 10:05 a.m.

At Durango High School

Saturday's Results

Durango 14, Cimarron-Memorial 4

Bishop Gorman 14, Palo Verde 5

Sunday's Results

Las Vegas 7, Bonanza 3

Western 11, Basic 7

Monday's Results

Palo Verde 12, Cimarron-Memorial 10, 10 inn.

Durango 4, Bishop Gorman 3

Tuesday's Results

Bonanza 11, Basic 4

Western 14, Las Vegas 9

Wednesday's Games

Palo Verde 9, Bishop Gorman 8

Bonanza 6, Las Vegas 3, 6th inn. (susp. due to rain)

Thursday's Games

Bonanza 6, Las Vegas 4

Durango 16, Palo Verde 5

Western 13, Bonanza 6

Saturday's Games

Durango vs. Western, 8 p.m.

One has become synonymous with prep baseball success, from its 1999 high school state title to a home field rated the nation's best in 2001.

The other has fallen on hard times in the sport, missing out on the 16-team high school playoffs altogether last spring and seeing its home diamond torn up recently to accommodate freeway expansion.

But for proven Durango and upstart Western, none of that matters at the moment. As the weekend begins, both have a common goal: capture Saturday's American Legion State Championship and the Western Regional berth that goes with it.

"We're both undefeated (in the tournament) so we both deserve to be there," said Warriors coach Justin Martinez, whose club has won six straight games dating back to last week's district tournament. "It should be a great ballgame. I don't think anybody is going to give us a chance, but we like being the underdog."

Both teams advanced to the title round with lopsided victories Thursday at Durango. The No. 6 Trailblazers stayed perfect in the event with a 16-5 win over No. 2 Palo Verde in seven innings, while the No. 8 Warriors rolled on with a 13-6 victory against No. 5 Bonanza.

After an off day today, the clubs will battle Saturday at 8 p.m., with the state title and a berth in next week's Western Regional Tournament in Salt Lake City on the line.

"The last one is always the toughest to get," said Durango coach Tom Appleyard, whose team lost the 2000 Legion state championship to Cimarron-Memorial. "We got there last time, but couldn't get it done."

The Trailblazers (52-30) had no trouble getting it done on Thursday, taking control with nine runs in the third inning and adding six more in the fourth to bury the Panthers (27-12).

Coltyn Simmons blasted a three-run homer to lead the assault, with teammate Don Sutton adding three doubles.

Durango starter Paul Kelser worked six strong innings for the win, holding Palo Verde to five unearned runs, and reliever Mathew Davis came on in the seventh to shut down the Panthers and force the 10-run rule.

Eric Newman and Dean Fore had two hits apiece for Palo Verde.

Western (17-10) had a tougher time putting away the Bengals (19-13). Clinging to an 8-6 lead in the bottom of the eighth, the Warriors called on reliever Paul Reardon with runners on first and second and dangerous hitter Robert McMurray at the plate.

Reardon, who moved from center field to the mound, immediately closed the door on Bonanza, striking McMurray out to end the threat.

"I was ready for that moment," Reardon said. "If he hit my fastball I was going to tip my hat to him."

After his team scored five runs in the top of the ninth to widen the gap, Reardon worked a perfect bottom half to complete the save.

Josh Feinberg and Corey Hanson had three singles apiece to spearhead a 19-hit barrage for the Warriors. Shaun Taylor, Tommy LaFronz, Jordaan Boesch all doubled, and six players knocked in runs.

Andrew Smith went 3-for-5 and Mike Tabeek added a three-run homer for the Bengals.