It probably wasn't the game the Kirtland Central Broncos were expecting, either.

Durango touched home plate 161 times en route to its 7-1 nonconference record, including a 19-4 victory nine days ago against Kirtland Central in its last nonconference game.

Durango, perhaps, was humbled a bit by its 0-2 start in Southwestern League play last weekend in Grand Junction. Its rematch against Kirtland Central wasn't efficient, but it was effective, good enough for a come-from-behind 11-10 victory in extra innings Tuesday at Ward Lee Field at the La Plata County Fairgrounds.

"I don't even know where to start," said Demons coach Rob Coddington, sighing a breath of relief after walking away with another win.

"Ask me a question."

How about pitching?

"Matt Elliot, as a sophomore, without any varsity experience, came in and threw strikes," Coddington said. "He went right after people, and he came in and shut them down for three innings."

Elliot, who struggled to fill out his varsity uniform, had no problems filling out his new role with the team.

Erratic the first 3 1/3 innings, starting pitcher Chris Breed then Joe Wise struggled to six runs allowed on seven hits and four walks.

Elliot entered with one out and a man in scoring position. He got No. 5 hitter Bryce Holiday to pop up to second baseman Tyler McKnight on his first varsity pitch, then, ahead in the count 1-2 to Jeff Belin, coaxed an inning-ending groundout to third baseman Aaron Coats.

Durango tied the game at 6 in the bottom half of the fourth.

John Ugai led off the frame with a double down the left-field line, and Graham Brookie laid a drag bunt between the pitcher and first baseman for a single.

With runners on the corners, Elliot, a left-handed arm and bat, hit a knuckleball off the end of the bat that found its way between the shortstop and third baseman into left field for an RBI single.

Alex Fryback, the Demons' No. 9 hitter, tripled to deep left-center field to drive in Brookie and Elliot for a 6-6 game.

"Everybody was hitting the ball hard (Tuesday night)," said Ugai, who went 4-for-4 with three doubles and three runs batted in.

"We were hitting the ball on the nose, but we were just hitting it right at people."

Early on, but the Demons found the holes in the middle innings.

Elliot faced just eight batters in his second and third innings of work, and his teammates rewarded him with another three runs and a 9-6 lead.

Will Benoit, the Demons' leadoff hitter and starting center fielder, inherited that three-run lead as closer in the top of the seventh inning. Like Elliot's predecessors, however, Benoit struggled to find the strike zone.

Benoit walked the first batter he faced, then No. 7 hitter Taran Yazzie doubled to left-center to score Belin. Two batters later, Darrin Dailey singled to right field to put runners on the corners.

Leadoff hitter Wesley Joe doubled to deep center field to score Yazzie and Dailey and tie the game at 9. Trying to stretch the double to a triple, Joe was caught at third on an 8-6-5 relay throw from Elliot in deep center field.

Benoit got Bobby Smith to line out to right field to end the inning.

After the Demons failed to score in the bottom of the seventh inning, Benoit again walked the Broncos' leadoff hitter in the top of the eighth. A wild pitch moved Drew Duncan to second base, a sacrifice fly moved him to third and another wild pitch brought in the potential winning run.

"I'm very happy with the way the guys stayed with it. If anything," Coddington said, searching for words, "I'm really happy with the way the guys stayed with it."

Benoit led off the bottom of the eighth with a full-count pass.

McKnight moved him to third on a groundball base hit into right field.

Chas Tabone tied the game with an RBI single to left field.

With runners on first and second, Coats advanced both runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt.

Clayton Parks was walked intentionally to load the bases.

Ugai, who doubled home a run and scored in the second, doubled and scored in the fourth, drove home a run in the fifth with a sac fly to left and doubled down the right-field line to lead off the seventh, guided a first-pitch curveball over the shortstop's head into left field for a walkoff single.

"Two times in a row," Ugai said of pitcher Clint Harris' decision to start him off with a first-pitch curveball.

"The first time we played these guys, we did a good job" on the mound," said Ugai, trying to dissect his pitchers' wildness. "Matt Elliot stepped up huge (Tuesday)."

In a change on the Demons' original schedule, this weekend's home games against SWL foes Grand Junction Central and Montrose have been switched to away games, which means five of their last six conference games will be played at Ward Lee Field.

"This is a big weekend for us," said Coddington, whose team is 8-3 overall and 0-2 in league play.

"We're excited to go up to Junction again," Ugai said. "As a team, we'll be ready."

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