Little League Baseball

Arizona State 8-10 Baseball Playoffs start Saturday; Sunnyside 8-10 softball & Douglas 50/70 baseball teams reach state championships

By Andy Morales

Posted on July 14, 2023

Douglas Intermediate beat Deer Valley 17-9 Friday night in Nogales to advance to the 50/70 Championship Series against Sunnyside on Saturday morning at 10. Douglas needs to beat Sunnyside twice with the “if game” set for 1 p.m. Sunnyside beat Douglas 4-3 in bracket play to send the District 8 representative to the elimination bracket. The Intermediate West Region starts July 20 in Nogales. (Douglas Little League Photo).

*Sunnyside’s 50-70 team is 5-0 in its district and state tournament games (Andy Morales/AllSportsTucson.com)*

FRIDAY, JULY 14

ARIZONA STATE 8-10 SOFTBALL AVONDALE
Sunnyside 5, Marana 4 (Elimination)

*Tremendous sportsmanship:* *Members of the Sunnyside and Marana 8-10 teams after Sunnyside’s victory (Marana Little League photo)*

Sunnyside advanced to the championship round of the 8-10 softball state tournament by scoring three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to beat Marana in the elimination-bracket final.

Sunnyside must beat Gilbert twice Saturday to finish their summer with a state championship (no West Regional tournament exists for the 8-10 age group).

The teams play at 8 a.m. in the first game. If Sunnyside wins that game, a deciding game will be played at 7 p.m.

Eva Lopez singled and moved to second on an error to start the sixth inning for Sunnyside against Marana. She stole third base and then scored on an error on Sofia Clark’s ground ball to cut the lead to 4-3.

Clark, who went to second on the error, stole third base before the next batter struck out.

Noelle Valenzuela reached on a fielder’s choice bunt with Clark staying on third.

Vivi Salaiz hit a sacrifice fly to right field to score Clark and tie the game at 4.

Melina Romero then doubled to knock in Valenzuela with the winning run.

ARIZONA STATE 9-11 BASEBALL SIERRA VISTA
Litchfield Park 7, Canyon View 6 (Elimination)

ARIZONA STATE 50/70 BASEBALL NOGALES
Douglas 17, Deer Valley 9 (Elimination)

SATURDAY, JULY 15

ARIZONA STATE 8-10 BASEBALL PURPLE HEART
Rincon vs. Prescott Valley, 5:15 p.m.
CDO vs. Casa Grande, 7:45 p.m.
Douglas vs. Arcadia, 7:45 p.m.

ARIZONA STATE 9-11 BASEBALL SIERRA VISTA
Rincon vs. Nogales, 5 p.m.

ARIZONA STATE 50/70 BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES NOGALES
Sunnyside vs. Douglas, 10 a.m. (Sunnyside up 1-0)

ARIZONA STATE JUNIOR BASEBALL TEMPE
Randolph vs. District 1, 8 a.m.
Western vs. Morenci/Clifton, 10 a.m.
Nogales vs. Mohave Valley, 5:45 p.m.

ARIZONA STATE 8-10 SOFTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES AVONDALE
Sunnyside vs. Gilbert, 8 a.m. (Gilbert up 1-0)

MONDAY, JULY 17

ARIZONA STATE LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL FLAGSTAFF
Sierra Vista vs. Maricopa, 5 p.m.
Canyon View vs. Litchfield Park, 6:30 p.m.
Sunnyside vs. Lake Havasu, 7:30 p.m.

THURSDAY, JULY 20

WEST REGION 50/70 BASEBALL NOGALES
(Nogales)

SATURDAY, JULY 22

WEST REGION JUNIOR SOFTBALL ARTHUR PACK
Mesa Four Peaks vs. Oregon, 8 a.m.
Marana vs. Northern California, 10 am.

WEST REGION SENIOR BASEBALL OAKLAND
(San Xavier)

SUNDAY, JULY 23

WEST REGION LITTLE LEAGUE SOFTBALL SAN BERNARDINO
Willcox vs. TBD, 8 a.m. (ESPN+)