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GAME 2: Gunter scored six unanswered runs in final two innings in 10-6 win to force deciding game
By DEVIN HASSON, dhasson@starlocalnews.com
For five innings, Sunnyvale and Gunter went back and forth on Saturday in game two of their Class 2A Region II semifinal best-of-3 series at McKinney Boyd High School.
The Raiders appeared to have momentum in their dugout when Devin DeLeon stroked a two-run opposite-field home run in the bottom of the fifth that gave them a 6-4 lead.
But it was all Gunter from there, as they scored twice in the top of the sixth and tacked on four more runs in the seventh to rally for a 10-6 victory to force a deciding game.
It was a nice, quick chance to wipe the bitter taste out of their mouths after they squandered several opportunities in the second game.
"We brought it up (between games)," Sunnyvale head coach Tim Arden said. "We thought that if we played a clean game that we probably win and are moving on, so we just reminded them that we needed to play like we are capable of playing."
After getting shut out inn the series opener, Gunter struck first when Cade Cruce reached on an error, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a single by Richie Robledo to take a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning.
As was the case through the early innings, the Raiders had an immediate answer. Will Moss singled, Zach Metzger was intentionally walked and both players moved into scoring position on a wild pitch.
That set the stage for Ryan Cottingame, who ripped a ground rule double to left to plate both runners and give Sunnyvale a 2-1 lead.
The Raiders had a chance to build on that advantage in the bottom of the second but were unable to do so. Devin DeLeon led off with a triple but was caught in a rundown when Gunter was able to corral Mason Goodin's ground ball to third for the first out.
Moss followed with a single and the runners moved to second and third on a passed ball, but Connor Nash's deep fly ball to left was flagged down and the Tigers were able to double the runner off third to escape the jam.
The teams traded runs in the third inning. Gunter tied it when Richard Young scored on a single by C.J. Ateek, but Sunnyvale countered in the bottom of the frame, as Metzger walked, moved to third on an error and scored on a wild pitch to give them a 3-2 lead.
The Tigers regained the lead in the top of the fourth, as Avery Higden had a sacrifice fly and Pate Montgomery singled home a run, but the Raiders tied it at 4-4 when Nash singled home Goodin.
Sunnyvale was within six outs of advancing after DeLeon's two-run blast in the bottom of the fifth, but Gunter was not ready for its season to end just yet.
Hunter Williams led off the top of the sixth with a single and Dakota Hunter was hit by a pitch. Avery Higden then lifted a fly ball to right-center field, but miscommunication in the outfield allowed the ball to fall and both runners scored to tie the game at 6-6.
The Tigers put it away in the top of the seventh. Michael Burfield singled and scored the go-ahead run on a triple by Ateek that made it 7-6. Gunter then added insurance, as Robledo and Williams walked and Hunter was hit by a pitch to drive in a run. Montgomery followed with a RBI single and Young added a sacrifice fly to push the lead to 10-6.
Sunnyvale went down in order in the bottom of the seventh, sending the teams to a deciding game.
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