Little League

Little League: Sunnyside wins D-12 Little League Championship; Saturday schedule

By Andy Morales

Posted on July 7, 2023

*Sunnyside has won five straight District 12 Little League championships dating to the summer of 2018 (Javier Morales/AllSportsTucson.com)*

FRIDAY, JULY

D-8: 8-10 BASEBALL BENSON
Douglas 8, Nogales 1
Benson 19, Sierra Vista 4

D-8: JUNIOR BASEBALL NOGALES
Nogales 2, Douglas 1

D-12: 8-10 BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES MANZANITA
Rincon 17, Empire 0 (Series tied 1-1)

Look for this battery in high school in about 6 years. Pitcher Calvin Williams & catcher Braxton Sapp helped force game 3 Saturday with a 17-0 win over Empire in 8-10 action. A No hitter and Calvin had 2 perfect innings of work. pic.twitter.com/UhFmgt01Fd

— Andy Morales (@AndyMorales8) July 8, 2023

D-12 LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
Sunnyside 15, San Xavier 5

Fireworks went off when Sunnyside Little League did the traditional run with the championship banner following tonight’s win over San Xavier in the District 12 title game. pic.twitter.com/JvVKBmbxo5

— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) July 8, 2023

Sunnyside earned its fifth straight District 12 championship behind the pitching of Gio Figueroa and hitting of the entire lineup, including center fielder Carlos Encinas, who hit his first career Little League home run.

How special is this? Sunnyside center fielder Carlos Encinas hit his first HR as a Little League player, a 2-run no-doubter over the left field fence, in his team’s 15-5 win in 5 innings against San Xavier in the District 12 championship game at Manzanita Park. pic.twitter.com/vFYswk5JZr

— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) July 8, 2023

After the score was tied at 5 going into the second inning, Figueroa allowed only two singles and a walk until he reached his pitch count of 85 with one out in the fifth inning. He struck out nine batters overall and he did not allow a baserunner past first base after the first inning.

Andres Valenzuela struck out the last two batters to end the game.

Figueroa also produced at the plate, going 3 for 3 with a run.

Sunnyside pitcher Gio Figueroa settled down from allowing five runs in the first inning to reaching his pitch count of 85 by limiting San Xavier to two hits and no runners beyond first base the rest of his time on the mound into the 5th inning. Sunnyside won 15-5 in 5 innings to… pic.twitter.com/sKKnuOirNP

— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) July 8, 2023

Sunnyside’s lineup tallied 18 hits, including home runs by Encinans and shortstop Carlo Rivero.

Encinas, the No. 10 batter in the lineup (every player in the lineup goes to the plate) and Rivero were 2 for 2. Rivero, who also had a two-run single in the second, finished with five RBIs.

The Rivero brothers:

Francisco, left, has trained in the Dominican Republic since playing for the Sunnyside Little League team that came game from reaching Williamsport in 2019. Francisco is a catcher who impressed Dodgers scouts in a recent showcase in Venezuela. He has made a… pic.twitter.com/jwGxE0xklX

— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) July 8, 2023

Rivero is the younger brother of former Sunnyside Little League standout Francisco Rivero, who was a member of the 2019 team that came a game away from reaching the Little League World Series at Williamsport, Pa.

Francisco has trained in the Dominican Republic since playing for Sunnyside that year. A catcher, he recently impressed Dodgers scouts at a showcase event in Venezuela. He has made a pre-arrangement to sign with the Dodgers as an international prospect when he soon becomes 16.

Sunnyside Little League manager Anthony Rodriguez talks about his team’s ability to take over the game against San Xavier after it was tied at 5 following the first inning. His team’s deep lineup and the pitching of Gio Figueroa was the difference tonight in the 15-5 win in five… pic.twitter.com/niZBJT4FYY

— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) July 8, 2023

Other Sunnyside standouts:

1B Ozzie Guadarrama, 2 for 4 with a double and two runs.

3B David Blasi, two-run double after having the game-winning hit Monday in a 3-2 win over San Xavier in seven innings.

C Adrian Shinn, 3 for 3 with a double, two runs and three RBIs.

EP Santiago Zepeda, 3 for 3 with one run and an RBI.

San Xavier was led by Axel Chavez’s double and two RBIs and Fernando Villarreal’s three-run home run in the first inning.

Sunnyside advances to play in the state tournament at Flagstaff starting July 17.

The organization has won five straight district titles. It won state titles in 2018 and 2019. The 2019 team with Rivero and standouts such as Damian Lorta, Andrew Romo, Izaiah Moraga and Mikey Muniz Jr. advanced to the West Regional finals in San Bernardino, Calif.

— Javier Morales

ARIZONA STATE 9-11 SOFTBALL VERDE VALLEY
Sierra Vista 3, Queen Creek 2
Camp Verde 25, Randolph 0

ARIZONA STATE LITTLE LEAGUE SOFTBALL VERDE VALLEY
Willcox 11, Verde Valley 1 (Elimination)
Arcadia 12, Marana 7 (Elimination)

ARIZONA STATE JUNIOR SOFTBALL ARTHUR PACK
Mesa Four Peaks 22, Benson 2
Benson 9, Williams 8 (Elimination)

ARIZONA STATE SENIOR SOFTBALL BLYTHE
Winslow 17, Sierra Vista 2

SATURDAY, JULY 8

D-8: 8-10 BASEBALL BENSON
Willcox vs. Sierra Vista, 4 p.m. (Elimination)
Bisbee vs. Nogales, 6:30 p.m. (Elimination)

D-8: JUNIOR BASEBALL NOGALES
Sierra Vista vs. Douglas, 10 a.m.

D-12: 8-10 BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP MANZANITA
Rincon vs. Empire, 6:30 p.m. (Series Tied 1-1)

ARIZONA STATE SENIOR BASEBALL WINSLOW
San Xavier vs. Blythe, 8 a.m.
Sierra Vista vs. Coolidge, 5 p.m.

ARIZONA STATE 8-10 SOFTBALL AVONDALE
Marana vs. Prescott Valley, 5:30 p.m.
Douglas vs. Mohave Valley, 5:30 p.m.
Sunnyside vs. Avondale, 7 p.m.

ARIZONA STATE 9-11 SOFTBALL VERDE VALLEY
Randolph vs. District 4 (Elimination)
Sierra Vista vs. District 2, 7:30 p.m.