Esposito strikes out 16, finishes with a flourish

With a former major-league great watching from the stands, the state's top prep pitcher gave another indication Thursday that he may be headed to The Show himself one day soon.

As 1964 American League Cy Young Award winner Dean Chance looked on, Cimarron-Memorial right-hander Mike Esposito shook off early control problems to pitch a one-hit complete game, lifting the Spartans to an 8-1 win over Chaparral on Day 2 of the 4A Southern Zone Tournament at Durango High.

"Mike told me in about the third inning that he was a little over-excited," Cimarron coach Calvin Valvo said. "He was trying to overthrow. I told him he needed to settle down."

Esposito certainly did that, fanning 12 of the final 17 batters he faced to finish with 16 strikeouts, two shy of his career high. The Spartan senior also helped his own cause with three hits and a pair of runs scored.

Waiting for Cimarron in Round 2 of the double-elimination event will be division rival Bishop Gorman, which posted a 7-2 win over Basic in the early game.

The Gaels' victory came a day after head coach Tim Chambers announced that he would resign at season's end to pursue coaching opportunities at the Community College of Southern Nevada.

"That gives me so much more incentive," Gorman catcher Cooper Fouts said. "He's like a father to me, and I'd like to put a state championship ring on his finger before he leaves."

The Gaels (25-4) and Spartans (19-7) will meet Saturday at 1 p.m. in the second of two winner's bracket contests. Silverado (17-5) and Green Valley (17-9) will play in the other at 10 a.m.

* BISHOP GORMAN 7, BASIC 2: The Gaels advanced despite playing what Chambers termed "unemotional" baseball against the upstart Wolves.

"Their guy pitched a good game and kept us off-balance, but I didn't think we played well," Chambers said. "I think all kids have jitters when it comes to the first day of the zone tournament."

Gorman got a complete game from starting pitcher Brandon Boesch, who had been tagged for game-winning home runs in his previous two appearances, both of which came in relief.

"I knew he was going to bounce back," said Fouts, Boesch's batterymate. "He didn't have his best stuff, but he battled all day. It was just trying to find his zone again."

Boesch limited the Wolves to four hits -- all singles -- and heated up as the game progressed, retiring nine of the final 10 batters he faced.

Offensively, Fouts was the story, going 3-for-3 with a pair of two-run singles and a walk. Boesch also reached base in all four plate appearances, scoring three of the Gaels' seven runs.

Basic (15-10) drops into the consolation bracket, where the Wolves will face Chaparral (18-9) tonight at 7 p.m. Host Durango (27-23) will take on Cheyenne (17-8) in today's other loser's-out contest at 4 p.m.

* CIMARRON 8, CHAPARRAL 2: The Spartans struggled to provide support for Esposito for most of the game, taking a tenuous 2-1 lead into the bottom of the sixth inning.

Then the roof caved in for Chaparral starter Shane Clatterbuck, as Cimarron strung together four straight hits to chase the Cowboys' ace from the mound. Two-run doubles by Jason Ruiz and Jared Massanari keyed the sixth-run frame.

Esposito, meanwhile, was virtually untouchable, turning Chaparral's potent batters into statues with a nasty combination of fastballs and sharp breaking balls.

The Cowboys notched their only hit in the second and parlayed Soren Nickels' single into a run thanks to three Esposito walks and a wild pitch.

"I was throwing too hard (early on)," Esposito said. "I think it was just adrenaline. I was a little nervous, but it was mostly adrenaline."

* NOTES: If Durango wins its consolation bracket game with Cheyenne today, the Trailblazers' next contest, originally slated for Saturday night, will be played Monday at 4 p.m. to accommodate Durango's prom.

The change doesn't sit well with Valvo or Chambers, because the loser of Saturday's Bishop Gorman-Cimarron game will face the Trailblazers in the re-scheduled contest.

The two coaches said the switch will alter their pitching rotation and could also provide a disadvantage to teams which will still have to play two games on Saturday.

"I'm a little disappointed right now,' Valvo said. "I understand it was an oversight, but this isn't right."

Added Chambers: "The schedule was set a long time ago, and you don't change it now. Last year we had a prom on a Saturday, and if we'd won our kids would have missed it."

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