Roundup: Foothills boys sputter in loss to host Sabino
by Rodney Haas on Mar. 05, 2008, under SportsJustin Zumwalde and Jake Hanson led a Sabino High School outburst in the fourth inning of the Sabercats’ 6-3 win over visiting Catalina Foothills.
Zumwalde hit a double to score a pair runs and Hanson followed with his first home run of the year in the fourth.
Foothills is ranked No. 5 in one national poll, No. 10 in another and No. 1 in Class 4A Division I by the Arizona Baseball Coaches Association.
Sabino pitcher Will Naas (3-0) earned the win as the Sabercats improved to 5-3.
“It’s easier to pitch when you have five runs on the board,” said Naas, who allowed one run on three hits in four innings. He walked four and struck out four.
Travis Jones came in relief for Naas to start the fifth and struck out the side. Jones ended his day allowing two hits, while striking out five and walking one.
“Naas and Jones did a great job on the mound and we threw strikes,” Sabino coach Rod Allen said. “If you don’t throw strikes and get behind, then you set your self up with potential problems because good teams will hit you.”
Andy Hunter took the loss for Catalina Foothills (1-1) while pitching a complete game.
Mike Rohe led the Falcons offense with a triple in the fourth as Naas and Jones limited Foothills to five hits.
“We just didn’t hit the ball tonight,” Foothills first-year coach Lance Robertson said. “We haven’t played in a week and a half and we weren’t in the Cactus Classic. We only played two games and they played six, so you can tell we’re rusty.”
Hunter and Kayvon Bahramzadeh will be the staff aces this year, which should keep opposing hitters off-balance.
Hunter being more of a power pitcher and Bahramzadeh more of a breaking ball pitcher.
“Hunter is more of a fastball pitcher. Kayvon had a little of a knuckle curve, a little slider,” Robertson said. “Andy throws more of the hard stuff. We try to stick to the hard stuff if we can.”
Foothills will host Tucson High on Thursday before traveling to Scottsdale Chaparral on Friday. Sabino will host Goodyear Millennium on Friday.
“Millennium is as good as anybody in the state and it will be much like today,” Allen said. “Two very good teams going at it, the one who makes the least amount of mistakes, executes well, will win.”
Cholla 7, Palo Verde 6: Catcher Jesus Molina-Vega went 2 for 4 with a home run and a double to help pull Cholla to 5-5. Carlos Camacho struck out six and got credit for the win while Scott Laughlin came in to save the game.
GEOFF GRAMMER
ggrammer@tucsoncitizen.com
Boys volleyball
The Salpointe boys volleyball team received a confidence booster at home against the tough Mesa Mountain View team Tuesday, winning in five games.
The Lancers rallied after losing the third and fourth games to take the fifth game in the 26-24, 25-18, 23-25, 18-25, 15-9 victory.
“That was huge,” Salpointe coach Amy Johnson said. “They need to know they can last for a two-hour match and they were able to do it.”
Pat Tunnell finished with 43 assists, seven kills and six aces.
“When it comes down to a fifth game, it’s whoever wants to win,” Johnson said. “We did a good job executing.”
Tucson High 3, Santa Rita 0 (26-24, 25-22, 25-17): Kyle Chan and Daniel Malone each had 12 kills and teammate Gabe Croteau had 17 assists.
RAYMOND SUAREZ
rsuarez@tucsoncitizen.com
Softball
Chelsae Harris, Meghan Harting and Maria Smith drove in three RBIs apiece and Desert Christian overcame all its senior players being out of state on a field trip to beat Bisbee 16-9.
Harris, a sophomore, improved her pitching record to 4-2.
Coach Mark Harting said the team played two girls in the outfield that weren’t on the team all season and played Tuesday just to fill the roster at nine players.
Benson 4, Pusch Ridge 2: Megan Ellsworth got the win in the season opener.
- GRAMMER
For more musings on high school sports, check out the Grammer School sports blog.
