Behind the masterful relief pitching of Ryan Garcia, the Blaze defeated the Renegades 4-2 Saturday in the 14uAAA championship of the USSSA Ice Breaker Classic at Big League Dreams in Gilbert.

Garcia relieved Blaze starting pitcher Kyle Gibbs in the third inning and proceeded to get out of a one-out, bases-loaded jam and pitch four and 2/3 innings of shutout baseball to get the win.

The Blaze got off to a quick start, scoring two runs in the first inning. Gibbs scorched a one-out single past the shortstop, stole second base and scored on a double down the left field line by Cory Kasperson. Cleanup hitter Cory Dowd singled Kasperson home.

The Blaze held onto its 2-0 lead for two innings, despite Gibbs throwing a whopping 33 pitches in that time. The Renegades got to Gibbs the second time through the lineup in the third inning as he walked the bases loaded with one out. Will Blay was hit by a pitch, scoring Dylan Payne from third, and Dominik Villegas hit a RBI single to left field, scoring Blas Gamino. Blaze coach Al Asta had seen enough and pulled Gibbs from the game. With the bases still loaded and only one out, Garcia protected the 2-2 tie with quick outs.

The Renegades, who had forced Gibbs to throw 58 pitches in three and 1/3 innings, would not duplicate their success with Garcia. The closest the Renegades ever got to scoring was in the sixth inning, when they loaded the bases with one out before Javohn Declid hit into a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning.

The Blaze scored a run in the fifth inning when Cole Tucker doubled home Hayden Durkiewicz after he drew a one-out walk and stole second base. The Blaze tacked on another run in the sixth inning when Justin Mohler hit an RBI single to left field, scoring Dowd.

The Renegades were vanquished in the top half of the seventh, but not without trying. Adam Nordine led off the inning with a single. After an out, Dylan Payne walked. Garcia, however, got a strike out, his fourth, and a ground out to end the game.

Blaze coach Al Asta praised Garcia's pin-point accuracy.

"He had extremely good control," Asta said. "He placed his pitches where he wanted to and that allowed him to get through a few jams. He can pound the ball inside with one pitch, and throw it low and away with the next."

Asta said that the Blaze played well despite dealing with a makeup time due to a rainout the week prior.

"If you are a baseball fan, this is a game you want to watch," Asta said. "It was a clean, hard-fought game."