Zimmerman triple ignites five-run fifth in baseball's win over GateWay, 6-3

  MESA, AZ - Jordan Zimmerman (So., Mesa, AZ/Red Mountain H.S.) cracked a two-run triple that ignited a five-run fifth inning for Mesa as the T-Birds took down GateWay, 6-3, Wednesday.

  The win snapped a four-game losing streak for MCC and improved it to 35-13 and 22-12 in ACCAC play.

  GateWay (23-26, 13-21) grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the fifth on an RBI single  by pitcher Nathan Chokey.

  But the T-Birds took command in the bottom of the inning. With one out Casey Moses (So., North Las Vegas, Nev/Centennial H.S.) singled. Drew Lawrence (Fr., Anthem, AZ/Boulder Creek H.S.) also singled. After another out, Zimmerman put MCC in front with his blast to left. Mitchell Morimoto (Fr., Issaquah, Wash/Issquah H.S.) then walked and both runners moved up on a wild pitch which scored Zimmerman. Brady Bate (Fr., Spanish Fork, Utah/Spanish Fork H.S.) and Jacob Boston (Fr., Chandlder, AZ/Hamilton H.S.) then delivered back-to-back doubles as MCC surged in front, 5-1.

  The T-Birds added another in the seventh when Alex Gudac (So., West Jordan, Utah/Juan Diego Catholic H.S.) smashed his sixth triple of the year and came home when catcher Evan McFarland over-threw third on a pick off attempt on the very next pitch.

  McFarland partially made up for his error with a two-run double in the eighth after a strong relief performance by Josh Murtha (So., Las Vegas, Nev/Faith Lutheran H.S.) who got the win. Garrett Bowman (So., Roy, Utah/Roy H.S.) then took over, picking up his fourth save.

  Mesa will host Paradise Valley in the first game of a home-and-home series Friday at 3:00 p.m.