Gauchos win marathon game, unbeaten in NBL

Casa Grande was the last team standing at the finish of a seemingly endless game of survival Monday night, outlasting Windsor, 6-5, in 12 mind-numbing innings.

Casa’s Dylan Moore finally ended the suspense with a bases-loaded single no outs into the 12th frame.

By the time a bright spring day had dissipated into a cool, tending toward cold, evening, long forgotten was a very proficient pitching performance by Casa Grande starer Broc Burleson. The senior right-hander hurled six solid innings, giving up two runs, only one of them earned, on five hits with a walk and two strikeouts.

A long time from the end, but certainly not forgotten, was a drive down the right-field line pulled by left-swinging Joe Lampe that left the Casa yard just a foot or so inside the foul pole for a three-run home run.

It was still 4-2 when Travis Morgan took the hill for Casa Grande in the top of the seventh inning, charged with getting three outs and wrapping up a routine Gaucho victory.

What followed was anything but routine.

While the Gauchos fretted, Morgan gave up a walk, an infield single and, with two outs, a bunt single that barely popped over his lunging glove, a walk and Cyrus Soltanizadeh’s game-tying single.

Casa Grande went mildly in its half of the seventh, and the two doggedly determined teams started what was to amount to almost a second game deadlocked at 4-4.

As the chill seeped in, here’s what happened:

Eighth inning: Morgan walked in a Windsor run in the top of the inning, before Chris Sanchez came in to strike out two Windsor batters with the bases loaded. Down, 5-4, Casa tied the game on a single by Moore and Joey Loveless’ long double to left-center. Casa lost a chance to win it when AJ Miller, on base with a walk, slipped as he tried to get back after advancing to third on Loveless’ hit and was tagged out.

Ninth: Casa Grande catcher Cameron Downing threw a runner out trying to steal to keep Windsor away from the plate despite two walks and a single. Two hits and a walk for Casa Grande in the bottom of the inning proved unproductive when Windsor ended the frame with an infield double play.

Tenth: An error put Windsor’s lead-off runner on in the top of the inning, but Sanchez got the next three batters. Casa put two runners on with a walk and an infield error, but stayed two bags away from the promised land.

Eleventh: Windsor put two runners on with walks but could get no closer to home than second base. Casa went quietly on a strikeout and two ground outs.

Twelfth: One out into the inning, Windsor’s Tanner Tobon lined a long double to left and went to third on a bunt. However, he was left there as the gutsy Sanchez induced a short fly and fanned the final Windsor batter.

Casa Grande wasted little time ending the marathon in the bottom of the inning. Aaron Von Van Tighem shot a single down the left-field line and moved up on a walk to Miller. Both advanced up on a wild pitch, forcing Windsor to intentionally walk Downing to load the bags.

Moore then placed a soft single into center field and the Gauchos’ celebrated.

Casa Grande had 12 hits in the game, three by Elijah Waltz and two each from Moore, Lampe and Downing.

Big rally

The win was the second heart-thumper in a row for the Gauchos who, on Saturday, erupted for six runs in the sixth inning to beat Northgate, 9-8, in a wild non-league contest.

Northgate was cruising with an 8-3 lead before the Gauchos exploded.

Each side had eight hits, with Van Tighem and Downing leading Casa with two hits each.

Casa Grande used four pitchers, with Sanchez getting the win.

Casa Grande is now 12-4 for the season and still undefeated atop the North Bay League standings with a 7-0 record.