Bishop Gorman defeats Reno for American Legion state baseball title

By Case Keefer (contact)

Sunday, Aug. 2, 2009 | 2:16 a.m.

As the Bishop Gorman baseball players assembled in a tight circle to hold up their brand new American Legion state championship trophy, a voice rang out above the noise.

“We always do this,” one of the players said.

That’s how common championships have become at Gorman. They are more than desired. They are expected.

Gorman, going by the name Southern Nevada Titans for the summer season, won its fourth consecutive American Legion state championship with a 12-3 victory against Reno Saturday night in Las Vegas.

“We’ve started a tradition,” said centerfielder Joey Rickard, the tournament’s Most Valuable Player. “We’re going to keep adding to it.”

Gorman will travel to Fairfield, Calif., for the American Legion regional tournament next week to further defend last year’s national championship. It can thank recently graduated Rickard for the opportunity.

He went 3-for-4 with four runs and four RBIs in the championship game. Rickard was a double away from recording a cycle.

“You never get tired of winning,” Rickard said.

The outcome wasn’t as easy as the final score may indicate. Reno, which scored 51 runs in its first three games of the tournament, appeared ready to win its first American Legion state championship in 25 years.

First baseman Pat Gallagher continued Reno’s power surge with a first-inning home run to left field. But most of the Knights’ early success can be attributed to starting pitcher Thomas Jameson, who bounced back from a scary moment in the bottom of the first inning.

Jameson fell hard to the Wilson Stadium mound after Titan second baseman Johnny Field lined a fastball into his throwing elbow. After a brief stoppage, Jameson was ready to pitch again. Over the next three-and-a-third innings, he allowed only one base runner and struck out four.

“Especially after he takes a ball off the arm, that was a gutsy effort from him,” Gorman coach Chris Sheff said.

Everything started to unravel for Reno in the bottom of the fifth inning. Gorman’s Taylor White and Wes Denzler led off the inning with a pair of singles.

Both runners advanced into scoring position on a balk by Jameson, which brought Reno coach Pete Savage out of the dugout for a spirited argument with the home plate umpire. In the end, Savage was only delaying the inevitable.

Gorman’s next batter, Rickard, laced a stand-up triple into deep right center field to clear the bases. Two pitches later, Rickard scored on a Jameson wild pitch to give Gorman its first lead at 4-3.

“Our guys that needed to step up stepped up,” Sheff said.

Count another class of 2009 star, Stephen Manthei, in that distinction.

Manthei pitched eight innings and struck out 10 in the game to earn the tournament’s Most Outstanding Pitcher award.

From the end of the fourth inning to the beginning of the seventh inning, Manthei retired nine straight batters.

“Our offense started to give me more time to rest,” Manthei said. “I got more of a feel for the game and what they were doing offensively.”

The Titans poured it on the Knights in the final two innings, scoring seven runs to give the appearance of a blowout. The highlights of that stretch included a two-run home run by Rickard and a grand slam by Field.

Jeff Malm pitched the final inning and when he recorded the final out, gloves flew up in the air and the Titans rushed to the mound.

They might be used to championships, but they still savor each one.

“I think they are all special,” Sheff said. “Each summer and each team is a little bit different. We’ve had a good summer and a good run.”