Post 7 Tucson (Tucson High) beat Post 109 Bolts (Mica Mountain) 6-0 Tuesday night in the first game of a best-of-3 series to decide a semifinal match of the American Legion state playoffs taking place at the Kino Baseball Complex this week. Post 73 Crush (Sunnyside) beat Post 8 Spartans (Vista Grande) 4-1 in the other semifinal.
Tucson finished the regular season with a 10-2 record, as did Vista Grande. Sunnyside and Mica Mountain both ended the season 8-4.
Tucson took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning on an RBI ground out from Elliot Pickrell to score Jorge Castro and then Gennaro Brito doubled in Pickrell in the fourth to make it 2-0. Brito would score later in the inning on an error to make it 3-0. Jaden Leon doubled in Ramses Mada, Emrick Thompson and Maddux Jones to make it 6-0 in the bottom of the sixth inning. Leon went 2 for 4 with three RBI and Jones went 2-2.
Brito collected eight strikeouts for the win. Jayson Brown and Miguel Brito saw action on the mound for Mica Mountain.
Vista Grande took a 1-0 lead on a sacrifice fly from Nicholas Valdez in the bottom of the third inning to score Sebastian Hidrogo and that held up until the top of the seventh. Argeniz Mazon reached on an error to start the inning and then Jorge Ruiz reached on an error to put two runners on with no outs. Mazon took home to tie the game up 1-1 and Joshua Barrios brought in Ruiz one out later to put Sunnyside up 2-1. Orlando Cobarubbias picked up a hit and then Jose Grijalva drove in two runs tow make it 4-1. Down 4-1, Vista Grande had two runners on in the bottom of the seventh but a fielder’s choice ended the game.
Cobarubbias went 3-3 with a double to lead Sunnyside at the plate and he also picked up eight strikeouts with two hits and one earned run from the mound. Hidrogo and Aiden Valencia took the mound for Vista Grande.
The same two matchups are slated to take place Wednesday night with the “if games” scheduled for Thursday. The best-of-3 championship series starts on Tuesday, July 18.
SEMIFINALS BEST OF 3 SERIES
TUESDAY, JULY 11
Post 7 Tucson 6, Post 109 Bolts 0
Post 73 Crush 4, Post 8 Spartans 1
WEDNESDAY, JULY 12
Post 7 Tucson vs, Post 109 Bolts, 7 p.m. Kino 4
Post 73 Crush vs. Post 8 Spartans, 7 p.m. Kino 6
THURSDAY, JULY 13 IF NECESSARY
Post 7 Tucson vs, Post 109 Bolts, 7 p.m. Kino 4
Post 8 Spartans vs. Post 73 Crush, 7 p.m. Kino 6
STATE CHAMPIONSHIP BEST OF 3 SERIES
TUESDAY, JULY 18
WEDNESDAY, JULY 19
THURSDAY, JULY 20 (If necessary)
WEST REGION FAIRFIELD, CALIFORNIA
AUGUST 3-7
WORLD SERIES
AUGUST 11-16
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Named one of “Arizona’s Heart & Sol” by KOLD and Casino del Sol, Andy Morales was recognized by the AIA as the top high school reporter in 2014, he was awarded the Ray McNally Award in 2017 and a 2019 AZ Education News recognition. He was a youth, high school and college coach for over 30 years. He was the first in Arizona to write about high school beach volleyball and high school girls wrestling and his unique perspective can only be found here and on AZPreps365.com. Andy is a Southern Arizona voting member of the Ed Doherty Award, recognizing the top football player in Arizona, and he was named a Local Hero by the Tucson Weekly for 2016. Andy was named an Honorary Flowing Wells Caballero in 2019, became a member of the Sunnyside Los Mezquites Cross Country Hall of Fame in 2021 and he was a member of the Amphi COVID-19 Blue Ribbon Committee. He earned a Distinguished Service Award from Amphitheater and he was recognized by City Councilman Richard Fimbres. Contact Andy Morales at amoralesmytucson@yahoo.com
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