Silverado completes sweep of Gators

For the past six years, local prep baseball fans hoping for a tight conference race had no choice but to look west, toward the rough-and-tumble Sunset Division.

After all, with six-time defending state champion Green Valley residing on the east side of town, the Sunrise championship was generally a foregone conclusion.

But on Thursday, the Gators' stranglehold on the division not only loosened, but may have slipped off completely, as host Silverado handed its rival a critical 8-6 defeat.

The victory, combined with a 7-4 win at Green Valley last month, gives the Skyhawks the first regular-season sweep of the Gators since 1992, the Henderson school's inaugural season.

More importantly, the victory keeps Silverado (12-3, 8-0) perfect in league play and gives the Skyhawks a three-game edge over the Gators (12-7, 5-3) and a two-game lead over Chaparral with six contests remaining.

"I didn't enjoy the last six days, waiting to play these guys," Silverado coach Brian Whitaker said. "Now we're where we want to be, but we know we have six games left. We just have to play on an even keel."

Whitaker's club won the game with a five-run fifth inning and strong relief pitching from senior Jason Vita, who struck out three of the five men he faced for the save.

With the teams tied at three, the Skyhawks got to Green Valley starter Anthony Scarpelli in the bottom of the fifth. Three Gator errors and two walks kept the inning alive for the hosts and they took advantage, pounding out four hits to make it 8-3.

"A lot of teams are playing great baseball against us, and we're not playing up to the level I know we can," said first-year Green Valley coach Nick Garritano, who succeeded new CCSN baseball coach Rodger Fairless in February.

Additionally, the Gators were without four players -- including starting outfielder Ben Schiess and pitcher Ben Scheinbaum -- all of whom have been suspended from the squad indefinitely for violating team rules.

"It's tough to lose so many key guys, but we've got to go with what we've got right now," Garritano said. "I told the kids our main goal is to get into the playoffs. If you do that, then every team is zero and zero again."

Despite their reduced roster, the Gators kept things tight throughout, putting together a sixth-inning rally behind doubles from Nate Shue and Kyle Reed and RBI singles from Garrett Guzman and John Slack.

But after relieving starter Robbie Van with two on and two out, Vita struck out hot-hitting Dave Krynzel to end the threat. Vita then closed out the game in the seventh, blowing a sinking fastball by Reed for the final out.

"Whatever I can do to help the team out is fine with me," said Vita, a member of the Skyhawks' starting rotation last season. "I'm pretty used to coming in like that now."

In all, Silverado's fearsome batting order finished with 12 hits by six different players. Included were a 4-for-4 performance by second baseman Mike Eshragh and two hits apiece from Tommy Rojas, Jeremy West and Joe Wickman.

For Green Valley, Shue went 3-for-3 with a double and a long home run to left field. Teammate John Slack was 3-for-4 with two RBIs.

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