Bishop Gorman captures fourth consecutive state championship

By Steve Silver

Saturday, May 23, 2009 | 3:30 p.m.

Although winning state championships for Bishop Gorman is becoming as routine as shagging ground balls, the Gaels could not contain their emotions as they captured their fourth consecutive 4A state title Saturday.

Tears flowed freely and Gatorade bucket showers were aplenty following the final out of the Gaels' 3-1 victory over Cimarron-Memorial at the College of Southern Nevada's Morse Stadium.

Gorman is now second all-time in Nevada history with the most consecutive state championships behind Green Valley, which captured six straight from 1993-98.

"Every year they ask which one is the most special and for a lot of reasons this is the most special by far," said Gorman coach Chris Sheff. "It's a great group of kids and for personal reasons and a lot of other things, it's been a really special, special year. It's a great thing."

Perhaps the darkest blemish on an otherwise dream 40-4 season came one week ago in the Sunset Regional championship in which Cimarron blasted Gorman 10-2.

After having to win a play-in game just to enter the state tournament, the Gaels seemed destined to exact revenge on the Spartans after dropping Green Valley 2-1 and blasting Douglas 8-0.

"It was a great revenge game," said Saturday's starting pitcher Joey Rickard, who also started in last week's loss. "We knew we had to leave everything on the field against these guys. It's definitely the best feeling to go out like this. What better way is there?"

Rickard held the Spartans to just three hits in five and one-third innings of work.

"The Joey Rickard in Sunset title game wasn't the real Joey Rickard," Sheff said. "He just had a bad day. But he showed his true self today. I thought he was in command. Obviously our pitching the whole tournament was dominating."

Jeff Malm entered in the sixth inning to relief Rickard as the Spartans put two men on base with only one out. Malm struck out the next two batters to escape the scoring threat. He finished the game striking out four of the final five batters to bring his tournament total to 19.

Gorman's pitching staff held opponents to just two runs on eight hits in three games with a 0.64 ERA.

"These guys are great," Malm said. "I was just trying to shut the door on (Cimarron) for my teammates. They had two runners on and it's just incredible. To be able to win four state championships, I don't know. It's incredible."

The Gaels jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the first inning when Erik Van Meetren singled to center field to score Stephen Manthei. The following batter, R.J. Santigate, singled to right to score Malm.

In the bottom of the third inning Van Meetren drove in Johnny Field with another single to put Gorman on top 3-0.

Cimarron scored its only run in the fourth inning as Kaz Smith smacked a double to deep left field to score Kris Kaplan, but that was as close as the Spartans would come.

Spartans' pitcher Sam Lindsey pitched the entire game, allowing those three runs while striking out five.

"Sammy threw a great game against them and that's all we can ask of him," said Cimarron coach Mike Hubel. "Keeping (Gorman) to three runs is good. We just couldn't capitalize on the couple of times we had runners on."

Once the celebration subsides, Gorman will have to find a way to replace the loss of five key seniors who never knew what it felt like to not win a state championship.

Malm (USC), Manthei (Arizona), Santigate (Long Beach State), Rickard (Arizona), and Tyler Wagner (Utah) will all head to the NCAA Division I level next year.

"They were a special group of seniors that have obviously done some great things here at Gorman," Sheff said. "I can't tell you how elated I am for that group."

Steve Silver can be reached at 948-7822 or [email protected].