The day for the Sunnyside Juniors All-Star began early (first pitch, 8 a.m.) at the Arizona State Juniors Baseball Tournament at Curtis Park with a convincing 9-3 win over West Flagstaff.
After returning to their homes to rest and hydrate themselves, Sunnyside drove back across town and it took a while for it to get on track in a winner’s bracket game against Mohave Valley that started at 5 p.m. and ended around 8.
Sunnyside fell behind by 11 runs by the time it came to the plate in the bottom of the third inning.
A nine-run rally in the fifth inning tied the game and another two runs in the sixth inning gave Sunnyside a dramatic 15-14 comeback victory.
Sunnyside (District 12 champ) advances to the next round of the winner’s bracket Monday at 6 p.m., when it will play either Western (District 5) or Paradise Valley North at Curtis Park.
Nogales (District 8) is also in that round playing Rio Vista at 6 p.m. at Mehl Park on Monday. Nogales beat Westwood 20-0 in five innings on Saturday morning.
The Juniors division is comprised of players 13 and 14 years old.
Sunnyside’s nine-run rally against Mohave Valley that tied the game at 13 in the fifth all came with no outs.
Kevyn Gomez hit a bases-clearing triple to cut the lead to 13-8. Gomez, who went 2 for 3 with a run and five RBIs, then scored on Gael Martinez’s single. Martinez finished 3 for 4 with a run and RBI.
Carlos Urias later had an RBI single andSunnyside manufactured two more runs on a dropped third strike-wild pitch and a throwing error to cut the lead to 13-12. Urias was 3 for 4 with two runs and two RBIs.
Alex Obregon forced in the last run of the rally with a single. A pitching change helped Mohave Valley stop the rally with three of the next four batters retired.
After Mohave Valley regained the lead in the top of the sixth on an RBI double by Hunter Koehler, Sunnyside answered with two more runs in the bottom of the inning to take the lead for the first time in the game.
Jesus Luevanos, who finished 3 for 4 with a run and RBI, hit an RBI single with one out and Obregon, who earlier walked and advanced to third on Luevanos’ hit, scored on a fielding error to put Sunnyside ahead 15-14.
Omar Ruiz, who had five strikeouts in the last 2 2/3 innings, retired three of the four batters he faced in the top of the seventh, including the last two via strikeout to close out the game.
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Sunnyside’s first-game starter, Angel Rodriguez, woke up around 5:30 a.m. to prepare for his trip across town for the early 8 a.m. first pitch Saturday against West Flagstaff.
When asked what it was like rising that early, he said he felt, “honored to come and compete in this tournament.”
Rodriguez and his teammates showed no signs of fatigue with the early wake-up call.
They pushed across four runs in the first inning after the first three batters — including Rodriguez at the leadoff spot — hit consecutive singles en route to the win.
“We’ve come a long way kind of. We’ve playing together since probably Minors (8 to 10 age group) or Majors (10 to 12),” said Rodriguez, who went 3 for 4 with an inside-the-park home run with two runs and an RBI. “We know how everyone plays. We trust everyone.”
Sunnyside Juniors All-Stars pitcher Angel Rodriguez went 3-for-4 with an inside-the-park HR with two runs and an RBI. He also pitched 4 quality innings, allowing only one run in the 9-3 win over West Flagstaff in the opening round of the state tournament. pic.twitter.com/fjCsXW7E69
— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) July 9, 2022
Sunnyside’s four-run rally in the first was sparked by singles by Rodriguez, Omar Ruiz and Carlos Urias to start the inning, staking the team to a 4-1 lead. Urias’ single scored Rodriguez and the other runs came across because of wild pitches and errors.
“This is actually the first time we’ve played a really early game,” Sunnyside manager Jaime Ruiz said. “It is what it is but we’ve still gotta come out and play ball. … It doesn’t matter what time it is, you’ve got to be ready to play ball.”
Consecutive RBI doubles by Obregon and Martinez in the third inning increased the lead to 6-1.
Sunnyside scored three more runs in the fourth behind Rodriguez’s home run and Omar Flores’ RBI double.
That run production provided Rodriguez a cushion through his four-plus innings of work. He didn’t record a strikeout but he kept West Flagstaff’s batters in check. He allowed only three hits with two walks and no strikeouts.
Sunnyside Juniors All-Stars manager Jaime Ruiz and his coaches had their team ready with the 8 a.m. start against West Flagstaff. Sunnyside rallied for four runs in the first en route to a 9-3 win, advancing them in the winner’s bracket. They play at 5 p.m. against Mohave Valley. pic.twitter.com/EQz1RbdXWQ
— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) July 9, 2022
“He’s our ace; he did a hell of a game,” Jaime Ruiz said of Rodriguez. “He did what he was supposed to do. Threw some great pitches. … We played really good defense but our batting in the bottom of the inning got us going and gave him really good insurance runs.”
Rodriguez was relieved by Luevanos after facing a batter in the fifth. West Flagstaff scored one unearned against him in his three innings. He had two strikeouts with two walks.
Sunnyside is now 6-1 in its All-Star tournament games including its run to the District 12 title.
In the first game, Omar Ruiz, Jaime’s son, finished 2 for 3 with two runs, Urias was 2 for 4 with an RBI and Mitzael Lopez went 2 for 3 with a double.
DISTRICT CHAMPIONS
D-5 SOFTBALL 8-10: THORNYDALE
D-8 SOFTBALL 8-10: WILLCOX
D-12 SOFTBALL 8-10: SUNNYSIDE
D-12 SOFTBALL 9-11: RINCON
D-5 SOFTBALL 10-12: THORNYDALE
D-8 SOFTBALL 10-12: SIERRA VISTA PONYTAIL
D-12 SOFTBALL 10-12: SUNNYSIDE
D-5 SOFTBALL JUNIORS: MARANA
D-8 SOFTBALL JUNIORS: BENSON SAN PEDRO
D-12 SOFTBALL JUNIORS: SUNNYSIDE
Congratulations to the Future Bulldogs, Douglas Little League Major’s Baseball Division District 8 Champions! Best of luck at the State Tournament next week, way to represent the Douglas Community! pic.twitter.com/X3ebfE4QTi
— Douglas Bulldogs Athletics (@BulldogsDouglas) July 9, 2022
D-5 BASEBALL 8-10: CANYON VIEW
D-8 BASEBALL 8-10: NOGALES
D-12 BASEBALL 8-10: RINCON
D-5 BASEBALL 9-11: CANYON VIEW
D-8 BASEBALL 9-11: NOGALES
D-12 BASEBALL 9-11: RINCON
D-5 BASEBALL 10-12: MARANA
D-8 BASEBALL 10-12: DOUGLAS
D-12 BASEBALL 10-12: SUNNYSIDE
D-5 BASEBALL 50/70: WESTERN
D-8 BASEBALL 50/70: NOGALES
D-12 BASEBALL 50/70: SUNNYSIDE
D-5 BASEBALL JUNIORS: WESTERN
D-8 BASEBALL JUNIORS: NOGALES
D-12 BASEBALL JUNIORS: SUNNYSIDE
D-8 BASEBALL SENIORS: NOGALES
SATURDAY, JULY 9
D-8 BASEBALL 10-12: NOGALES
Douglas 10, Sierra Vista 0 (Douglas advances to the state tournament)
STATE JUNIORS BASEBALL: CURTIS/MEHL (D-5)
Sunnyside 9, West Flagstaff 3
Nogales 20, Westwood 0
Sunnyside vs. Mohave Valley, 5 p.m. (Curtis)
Western vs. TBD, 7:30 p.m. (Curtis)
STATE 9-11 SOFTBALL: FOUNTAIN HILLS (D-6)
Flagstaff 14, Rincon 0 (Elimination)
STATE MAJORS SOFTBALL: CAMP VERDE (D-10)
Sunnyside vs. Camp Verde, 8 p.m.
STATE JUNIORS SOFTBALL: AVONDALE (D-2)
Sunnyside vs. St. John’s, 7:30 p.m.
SUNDAY, JULY 10
STATE MAJORS SOFTBALL: CAMP VERDE (D-10)
Thornydale vs. TBD, 8 p.m. (Elimination)
Sierra Vista vs. TBD, 8 p.m. (Elimination)
STATE JUNIORS SOFTBALL: AVONDALE (D-2)
Thornydale vs. TBD, 7:30 p.m.
Benson-San Pedro vs. Parker, 5:30 p.m. (Elimination)
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