Playoffs: Pride drop first round game at Desert Mountain

Mountain Pointe wasn't able to recover from Scottsdale Desert Mountain's huge third inning, and now the sixteenth-seeded Pride must now face elimination.

Leading 3-2, Desert Mountain pushed eight across in third on a wild pitch, Matt Petello's grand slam over the score board in left field, and Lance Harper's three-run shot to left-center field.

The No. 1 Wolves (14-5) would go on to quash any rallies the Pride (7-12) started, and win 11-6 in the first round of the Class 5A-I state tournament.

"We don't have anything to lose," said MP coach Brandon Buck. "We can come out swinging and do whatever we need to, and if we lose, we're supposed to lose, and if we win, it's a freak thing."

Mountain Pointe would add a run in the top of the fourth on a wild pitch, and cut it to 11-5 on Kevin Cron's two-run double in the fifth. An inning later, with another run across on Ryan Klem's bases-loaded walk, Jake Waldren crushed what looked like a sure double to right, but Desert Mountain's Cam Teich ran it down.

"We gave ourselves and opportunity," Buck said. "We were one big hit away. We were putting good wood on the ball, but they made good plays."

Nick Mancuso cut it to 3-2 for Mountain Pointe in the top of the second with a two-run homer to right-center field. He finished 3-for-4 on the day.

Klem got the start for MP and struggled with his location. The senior gave up six earned runs on four hits and six walks, striking out two.

Joey Rocha took over for Klem in the third, and gave up five runs, before Daniel Corwin finally got the Pride out of the inning.

Sophomore Jordan Kipper took over from there, and allowed just two base runners the rest of the way.

"I thought Jordan Kipper threw the ball exceptionally well today," Buck said. "To shut an offense down the way he did like that those last few innings, it gives us an opportunity to come back in and win a game. Hopefully we'll learn from this and come back out ready to go on Tuesday."

Mountain Pointe faces No. 8 Mesa Mountain View in an elimination game on Tuesday. Mountain View lost to No. 9 Mesa Red Mountain, 3-2, in the first round. Senior Jake Dziubczynski will get the start for the Pride.

"When he's on, he gives us a shot to beat anybody," Buck said.

No. 4 Desert Vista 14, No. 13 Gilbert 10

Cole Pembroke capped a seventh-run, seventh-inning comeback with a walk-off grand slam Saturday as No. 4 Desert Vista pulled off a 14-10 thriller against No. 13 Gilbert in the first-round of the 5A-I state baseball tournament.

Pembroke had 5 RBIs on the day, and his game-ending blast followed five singles and a batter hit by a pitch with one out in the seventh. Jaycob Brugman also homered and drove in four runs for the Thunder. The teams combined for 34 hits. The Tigers' D.J. Peterson hit a three-run home run as Gilbert took an 8-0 lead into the fifth. Nathaniel Mesa also homered and Drew Stankiewicz had three hits and two RBIs for the Tigers.

DV will host No. 5 Tempe Corona del Sol on Tuesday in the second round. Corona run-ruled No. 12 Tucson Salpointe, 14-2.

-East Valley Tribune

No. 4 Buena 3, No. 13 Desert Vista 0

Desert Vista softball was shut out in its return to the 5A-I tournament, 3-0, by Buena.

The Thunder will play at the loser of today's first round game between No. 5 Gilbert and No. 12 Scottsdale Desert Mountain.