DaMari Hall wasn’t in the batting lineup for Bishop Gorman’s baseball team Tuesday against Arbor View, but the right fielder made the biggest defensive play of the game to keep the Gaels’ season alive.

Gorman held a two-run lead in the top of the fifth when Arbor View began to rally. Hall helped keep the Aggies off the board when he threw out Rhett Bryce at home.

Gorman held Arbor View scoreless in the inning, and the Gaels, the Desert League’s No. 1 seed, held on for a 3-2 home win over the Aggies, the Desert League’s No. 3 seed, in a Class 5A Southern Region tournament elimination game.

“It was huge. He made a huge play there,” Gorman coach Matt Stoner said of Hall’s throw. “We did a good job on the bunt (for the first out). He made a huge throw out there. That’s why he’s out there. He’s one of the best outfielders in the town.”

The Gaels (19-13) will face Palo Verde — which lost to Faith Lutheran 10-3 in a winners’ bracket game — at 4 p.m. Thursday at Palo Verde in another elimination game.

Gorman’s strong defense backed up a stellar performance on the mound from Koa Young. The senior left-hander pitched 6⅔ innings and allowed five hits and one earned run and struck out seven.

“Everybody just got out there fighting, scrapping, and we got the win,” Young said. “I felt amazing out there. Putting my team in a position to win was always great, and helping them win was awesome.”

Gorman gave Young just enough run support on a pair of home runs. Chase Wilk blasted a two-run homer in the second inning, and Jonas Yatson hit a solo homer in the fourth.

“If we can get going offensively, we’ll be tough,” Stoner said. “We’re very stale right now. Hopefully, we can put it together and do all three facets of the game. We will pitch with the best of them. We just have to start going offensively.”

Gorman led 3-1 in the fifth when Arbor View (17-10) got its first two batters on base. Young got Sei Valdez out at third on a bunt. Jase DeSantis then singled to right field. Bryce raced around third, but Hall’s throw bounced right to catcher Ryan Hunter, who applied the tag.

Young fielded another grounder from Devin Martin to end the inning and keep Gorman ahead.

“That helped us out for sure,” Young said of Hall’s play. “They had one out, and getting that second out and not letting them score, it helped us win and ultimately won us the game.”

Arbor View made one more attempt to rally in the seventh. Bryce walked to lead off the inning and eventually scored on a double play.

After Young walked DeSantis and reached 108 pitches, Stoner brought in James Whitaker, who struck out Landon Blais for the final out to record the save.

Gorman lost 5-0 to Centennial on Tuesday and had lost its three previous games. The Gaels defeated Palo Verde 10-2 in the regular season on March 29.

“Just keep fighting and playing for each other, if they do that, we’ll be fine,” Stoner said. “I’m proud of them. They fight. With everything this group’s been through, they fight and it’s great. You can’t ask for anything else.”

DeSantis finished 2-for-3 and scored a run on an error in the third.

Contact Alex Wright at [email protected]. Follow @AlexWright1028 on X.