Rincon could not slow down Phoenix Arcadia’s run production Wednesday night in the 8-9-10 Arizona Little League State Tournament at Field of Dreams.
After wins of 16-0 against Safford Mount Graham and 16-7 over West Flagstaff in the tournament, Arcadia sent Rincon to the elimination bracket with a 15-3 victory in four innings.
Rincon will play Friday at 6:30 p.m. against the winner of Thursday’s elimination-bracket game between Gilbert American and Sierra Vista (which starts at 6:30 p.m.). Sierra Vista defeated Canyon View 12-11 in seven innings on Wednesday to stay alive.
Arcadia, which finished with 13 hits against Rincon, was able to push nine runs across with two outs in the first through third innings to pull away.
“They have a good team; we knew they could hit,” Rincon manager Eddie Sapp said. “They hit it where we weren’t and it seemed like they did that every time with two outs. We just couldn’t get that last out … I told the boys all they did is guarantee themselves more baseball now.
“The more we win, the more we play. They want those guys again. They have a great team.”
Six batters in Arcadia’s lineup scored at least two runs. Leadoff hitter Colt Drier was 3-for-3 with two doubles and two RBIs by the second inning.
Due to pitch-count monitoring, Sapp used pitchers who had not taken the mound during the all-star season, including the District 12 tournament. If the third out was made before the rallies, the game’s complexion would have been different.
Mikey Ortiz continues to hit well in the tournament for Rincon. He went 2 for 2 with two runs, two doubles and an RBI against Arcadia after a 3-for-3 performance in the previous win against Mesa Four Peaks. He is 7 for 9 in the tournament with three four runs, three doubles and five RBIs.
A potential inside-the-park home run for Ortiz became a ground-rule double against Arcadia because the ball slightly rolled under the outfield fence.
“Hey, the ball didn’t bounce our way,” Sapp said. “It’s baseball. If it was that easy, everybody would be doing it.”
Sierra Vista 12, Canyon View 11
Riley Shamas and Brandon Rugg combined for five hits and five RBIs and Hayes Moore and Owen Whitworth each knocked in two runs for Sierra Vista.
Sierra Vista’s Riley Shamas went 3 for 4 with a run, double and two RBIs in his team’s 12-11 win in seven innings over Canyon View in an elimination-bracket game of the 8-9-10 state tournament. pic.twitter.com/JJ934IKwyk
— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) July 22, 2021
Drew Anders got the seventh-inning, game-winning rally started with a single. Crue Isaacson then reached on a fielder’s choice with Anders thrown out at second. An error on a groundball hit by Gio Herrera followed by a throwing error allowed Isaacson to run home and slide safely in a close play for the walk-off win.
Isaacson and Herrera contributed to Sierra Vista’s 14 hits with two hits apiece.
Luke Newman led Canyon View by going 2 for 4 with two runs and four RBIs with a double and a triple. Raj Abramian, Kevin Curtis and Miles Anderson each added two hits.
Brandon Rugg of Sierra Vista went 2 for 4 with two runs and three RBIs in his team’s 12-11 win over Canyon View in seven innings in an elimination-bracket game of the 8-9-10 state tournament. pic.twitter.com/VKTOQHBxak
— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) July 22, 2021
8-9-10
Field of Dreams
e-elimination bracket game
Wednesday, July 21
e-G15: Sierra Vista 12, Canyon View 11
e-G16: Lake Havasu 22, West Flagstaff 21
G17: Paradise Valley North 4, Chandler National North 3
G18: Phoenix Arcadia 15, Rincon 3
Thursday, July 22
e-G19: Gilbert American vs. Sierra Vista, 6:30 p.m.
e-G20: Mesa Four Peaks vs. Lake Havasu, 6:30 p.m.
Friday, July 23
e-G21: Rincon vs. G19 winner, 6:30 p.m.
e-G22: Chandler National North vs. G20 winner, 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, July 24
G23: Paradise Valley North vs. Phoenix Arcadia, 6:30 p.m.
e-G24: G21 winner vs. G22 winner, 6:30 p.m.
Sunday, July 25
e-G25: G23 loser vs. G24 winner, 6:30 p.m.
Monday, July 26
G26: Championship — G23 winner vs. G25 winner, 6:30 p.m.
Tuesday, July 27
G27: Championship — If G25 winner wins G26, 6:30 p.m.
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ALLSPORTSTUCSON.com publisher, writer and editor Javier Morales is a former Arizona Press Club award winner. He is a former Arizona Daily Star beat reporter for the Arizona basketball team, including when the Wildcats won the 1996-97 NCAA title. He has also written articles for CollegeAD.com, Bleacher Report, Lindy’s Sports, TucsonCitizen.com, The Arizona Republic, Sporting News and Baseball America, among many other publications. He has also authored the book “The Highest Form of Living”, which is available at Amazon. He became an educator five years ago and is presently a special education teacher at Gallego Fine Arts Intermediate in the Sunnyside Unified School District
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