Mikel Moreno didn’t give attaboys after the road game despite Queen Creek winning 8-5 and improving to 10-0.

Instead, the coach lined his players down the first base line to practice base running drills for good reason. Queen Creek didn’t finish strong against a respectable non-region opponent, Centennial, Tuesday.

“If you don’t execute, this game will eat you up,” Moreno said.

A base running mistake in the 7th inning with Queen Creek up 6-1 led Moreno to first voice his displeasure in the dugout. 

That inning ended with Queen Creek leading 8-1, but Centennial tacked on four more runs before reliever/shortstop Stetson Denning closed it out. Moreno said he is still trying to gauge how good his team — one one of only two undefeated teams remaining in the 5A Conference — is.

Queen Creek won despite a hitless outing by its best batter, University of Arizona commit Jacob Berry. But Denning also went 3 for 4 with three RBIs, and sophomore lefty Donovan Lopez allowed seven singles and one run in the first six innings.

Lopez did a good job of locating his pitches and staying in front of hitters. Also, leadoff hitter Kevon Jackson, Ryan Dobbs and Colton Cassinelli each tallied two hits for Queen Creek.

His first varsity start ended with a loss, but Centennial freshman Steven Stewart held his own on the mound. The confident pitcher left in the sixth inning trailing 2-1 and didn’t allow a leadoff hitter on until the fifth inning.

But the sixth inning was the turning point. Queen Creek sent 10 hitters to plate in that frame, when it scored its first six runs on seven hits and stole four of its six bases.

Michael Martinez, Rudy Nolasco, David Donohew and Kevin Whalen each went 2 for 4 for 8-3 Centennial.

“We’ve overachieved,” Centennial’s first-year coach Brady Pond said. “We just have to keep grinding and get ready for region play.”