Las Vegas Review-Journal (Sunday)
Stymied by Desert Oasis’ starter, Gaels rough up D-backs bullpen
Bishop Gorman wins with seven-run sixth
Baseball can be a funny game. Take Saturday’s contest between Bishop Gorman and Desert Oasis. For five innings, the Gaels could do virtually nothing off Diamondbacks’ starter Brett Brocoff.
But once Brocoff exited after five, it was a whole new ballgame. The Gaels rallied for seven runs in the sixth inning to stun Desert Oasis and win 8-6 at home.
“To come against a team like DO, and to come back, shows the character of the team,” Gorman coach Gino DiMaria said. “This year there’s going to be a lot of games like that, but these kids will never quit. Ever.”
The comeback started just as any coach would draw it up: with the leadoff man. Down 6-1, senior second baseman Nick Israel singled to start the sixth for Gorman (5-1, 4-0 Southwest League).
What followed was a 12-batter, seven-hit, seven-run frame that saw Israel smack two hits, including an RBI double in his second at-bat of the inning. He finished 2-for-4 with a walk, a run scored and an RBI.
“My mentality is just get on base, any way,” Israel said. “That’s my job is to get on base, and everyone follows after that.”
Not to be outdone, sophomore third baseman John Gaughan had quite the game of his own.
He doubled in the third, then in the sixth drove a two-out double past the diving glove of Diamondbacks left fielder and into the corner to tie the game.
Gaughan scored on a single by the next hitter, junior Tyler Curtis, to give the Gaels their first lead.
“We came out and got the ‘W’ and that’s all that matters,” Gaughan said.
While Brocoff was in the game, it seemed like the Diamondbacks (102, 6-1) were going to cruise to victory. The senior right-hander pitched five innings and allowed just three hits and one run, a solo homer to senior Nick Hernandez, and struck out five.
“We were hitting the ball hard off him, just right at guys,” Israel said.
Hernandez’s homer got the Gaels on the board and Brocoff left after completing the inning. Hernandez reached in all three of his plate appearances, with two walks as well. He scored twice.