Green sparks Basic as Blue Sox avoid elimination

With his team facing the prospect of elimination Wednesday, Basic coach Scott Baker needed someone to spark a victory.

Several players answered the call, but none more than starting pitcher Logan Green, who scattered seven hits across eight innings to lead the Blue Sox to an 8-3 victory over Silverado in the American Legion state tournament at UNLV’s Wilson Stadium.

The win lifted the Blue Sox into today’s 8 p.m. semifinal, where they will face Rancho. The Hawks were eliminated.

Aside from a rough fifth inning, Green cruised throughout, striking out one and surrendering one walk. The win lifted his season record to 3-4.

“His record doesn’t tell how well he’s pitched this summer,” Baker said. “He’s had a couple of tough losses, but tonight he threw strikes. That’s what he does.”

Green was spotted to a 3-0 lead when Basic (37-17) led off the first inning with four consecutive hits off Hawks starter Kevin Pindel. The Blue Sox expanded the advantage to 5-0 in the third with a two-run double by Ryne Nelson.

“We were fortunate to get hits tonight when we had runners in scoring position,” Baker said. “That’s the key to winning these games.”

Basic added a run in the fourth, but Green struggled in the fifth. The Hawks (12-19) scored all three of their runs in the inning, highlighted by Vincent Taormina’s two-run single.

But Green quickly recovered, and his offense tacked on two more runs before it was over. Tanner Roundy retired the side in the ninth to secure the victory.

Tyler Long went 4-for-5 with two doubles and an RBI to lead Basic’s offense, and Green helped himself by going 3-for-4 with a double and three RBIs.

Taormina went 3-for-4 with a double and two RBIs to lead the Hawks, who were eliminated.

Though Baker’s squad has battled up through the losers’ bracket, the coach said the Blue Sox remain focused on the tourney championship.

“We just feel like it’s one game at a time,” he said. “We’re just trying not to look ahead.”

Liberty 5, Reno 1 — Starting pitcher Nathan Bennett went the distance to lead the Patriots to a victory over Reno in the late elimination game.

Liberty will play Bishop Gorman today in a 5 p.m. semifinal.

Bennett got all the support he would need in the second inning, when the Patriots scored runs on a fielder’s choice by Justin Lutes and a double by Brandon Soratos. They extended it to 3-0 with a run on a wild pitch by Knights starter Austin Atkerson.

Atkerson helped himself with an RBI double in the sixth to make it 3-1, but Bennett dominated the late innings to get the win. He allowed nine hits and struck out six.

James Martz went 3-for-4 with an RBI to help the Patriots, who tacked on two security runs in the eighth inning.