Durango rallies to win opener

Friday, Aug. 17, 2001 | 10:21 a.m.

Danny Kelly doubled home two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning, helping Durango rally for a 5-4 win over West Jordan (Utah) in both teams' American Legion Western Regional Tournament opener Thursday at Franklin Covey Field in Salt Lake City.

The Trailblazers (53-20) trailed 4-2 after West Jordan scored a pair of runs in the top of the eighth on a two-run double by Paul Pyle. But Durango cut the deficit to one on Paul Kelser's sacrifice fly in the bottom of the eighth, then completed the comeback when Kelly doubled off the wall with one out in the ninth, scoring Adam Quinlan and Joe Campo.

"We were very fortunate to get out of this thing with a win," Durango coach Tom Appleyard said. "Things weren't going our way, but credit to the kids. They didn't give up. They kept battling."

Coltyn Simmons finished 4-for-4 with an RBI for the Blazers, with teammate Robby Jacobson adding two hits and an RBI. Reliever Mathew Davis worked four innings for the victory.

Durango was slated to play Danville (Calif.), defending Legion World Series champions -- today at 9 a.m. Danville won its opener 22-4 over Kailua (Hawaii) Thursday.