DIVISION II BASEBALL Yorty gets a win and a save as Lisbon advances in meet

Pitcher Jay Yorty saved his win in the Blue Devils' 13-9 victory over South Range.
By JOHN BUTERA
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
LISBON -- Lisbon High baseball pitcher Jay Yorty achieved the rare feat of getting both a win and a save in the same game as the Blue Devils topped South Range, 13-9, in Tuesday's wild Division III sectional baseball tournament opener.
Lisbon (14-4) used a seven-run inning to offset Greg Rohan's grand slam as the Blue Devils advanced to Monday's sectional championship.
South Range had a nightmarish day with six errors and the Raiders twice ran themselves out of potential runs.
The most damaging play came in the seventh inning when Lisbon threw out a Raider at home plate. The out was costly, as South Range scored twice and left the bases loaded.
Returned to game
Yorty (8-1), who was roughed up in the fourth and relieved by Aaron Cosma with Lisbon still in the lead, came back in the game to get the final out and also the save.
"That shocked me," Yorty said. "But it's good that [Coach Ron Witman] had enough faith to put me back in."
Down 1-0, Lisbon sent 12 batters to the plate in the third, coming up with seven runs.
The Blue Devils managed just four hits in the inning but South Range committed four errors and had two passed balls which resulted in runs. Frank Gallo had a two-run single and Yorty doubled, scored and also reached base after striking out.
Catcher Jacob Wycoff also enjoyed a big day, walking twice, singling twice, scoring three times, stealing two bases and driving in two runs -- one on a solo homer as Lisbon took an 8-1 lead.
"Even when it was 8-1, I was worried," Witman said. "Their offense is very strong and we knew that coming in. Plus Jay's control just wasn't that great tonight."
Rohan connects
South Range got four back quickly as Rohan crushed a 2-1 Yorty curveball over the fence for a grand slam. The previous three batters had walked.
"[When he hit that], I said, 'I'm in trouble,' " Yorty said. "I wasn't throwing strikes and that kid's a heck of a hitter. I knew when I got behind in the count he was going to do something."
That was it for Yorty as Cosma came on in relief. Cosma made it out of that inning but South Range scored twice in the fifth and two more in the seventh.
South Range stranded 14 runners and left the bases loaded three times.
"Coming in against Yorty, we wanted to get a good lead and we didn't do that," Rohan said. "Still when we came back and made it 8-5, I thought we had a great chance to come back because we still had time.
"I thought we gave it a good fight but it hurts when you have a guy thrown out at home and another at third. That's baseball, though."