PREP BASEBALL: Un-usual suspects help MP take playoff opener

Baseball playoffs sometimes have a way of uncovering unsung heroes.

When Mountain Pointe High School needed someone to get something started in the first round of the Class 5A-Division I state baseball tournament against Gilbert Highland, sophomore Ryan Klem seized the opportunity.

Klem came through for Mountain Pointe twice early in the opening round game against the Hawks Sept. 28 when the Pride were showing some signs of playoffs jitters in a 5-2 victory.

He hit a two-strike double off the fence at Mountain Pointe in the first inning to tie the score at 1 and got the Pride back in the game with a two-out single that tied the game again, this time at 2 in a four-run fourth inning.

“That kind of got us going,” Mountain Pointe coach Brandon Buck said. “Then the older guys kind of picked it up and tacked on a few more runs.”

Klem, a pitcher and outfielder, has had to wait for his chances at the plate this season. The Pride lineup is loaded with solid hitters.

“Ryan has been swinging the bat well for us this season,” Buck said. “It’s unfortunate that he doesn’t get the at-bats he’s earned, but when C.J. (Cron) and Austin (Wooldridge) are in the lineup he has to rotate to the DH (designated hitter) spot.”

The victory earned the Pride a prime-time game under the lights for the first time this season at Tempe Diablo Stadium Tuesday night against rival Desert Vista. The results of that game were too late for the Ahwatukee Foothills News deadline.

Mountain Pointe had swept the regular season three-game series against Desert Vista, earning a fifth seed in the tournament. The Thunder got into the second round with a 13-0 upset over which got into the second round with a 13-0 victory over fourth seeded Tempe Corona del Sol.

The winner of the Mountain Pointe-Desert Vista game will stay under the lights for the third round at 7:30 Saturday evening. The loser will play at 7:30 p.m. Thursday evening at Diablo.

The Pride haven’t played under the lights this season.

“We’re excited about playing at Diablo,” Buck said. “When I was playing I liked to play at night because I thought I could see the ball better.”

Last season the Pride got to play a second round game against Scottsdale Horizon in Phoenix Municipal Stadium, spring raining home of he Oakland A’s.

“It was a lot of fun for the kids to play in a ballpark like Muni last year,” Buck said, “and it was fun for the coaches too.”

Last season the Pride lost to Gilbert, 3-2, in the third round of the playoffs.

In the first round game against Highland Cron helped save some Pride arms for the playoffs by pitching a complete game while going 2-for-4 with a double that drove in a run. David Darnell was 2-for-3 and drove in another run for the Pride.

--Larry Ward can be reached at (480) 898-7915 or at lward@aztrib.com.