Mica Mountain over Desert View 7-0 #azpreps365 https://t.co/VBpSK13ghw
— AZPreps365 (@AZPreps365) April 23, 2024
Desert View started Monday ranked No. 27 in the 5A Conference with only one shot to make the play-in tournament for teams ranked 9-24 slated for Wednesday. The Jaguars needed to beat 4A power Mica Mountain on the road and the team pulled it off with a 12-6 victory but will the win be enough?
Jumping three spots from 27 to 24 might happen with Mica Mountain (14-4 in ranking games) ranked No. 6 in the 4A Conference before the loss but it might be close either way. Likewise, the Thunderbolts went from avoiding the play-in phase to possibly falling into it, but only if the team drops three spots. The dangers of the play-in tournament for baseball are real if a team is having difficulty fielding a pitcher or pitchers who have adequate rest.
Mica Mountain went up 1-0 in the bottom of the first on an error but the Jaguars scored four runs in the third inning and three more in the fourth to go up 7-2. The Thunderbolts started to make a comeback with three runs in the fifth to cut the lead down to 7-5 but three more runs from the Jaguars in the sixth, fueled by a two-run shot from Cristobal Lorta, made things too difficult and Desert View went on the win 12-6.
Emilio Lizarraga got the start for the Jaguars and he finished with nine strikeouts. Brandon Rodriguez also saw pitching action and he added four more strikeouts in 1.2 innings of work. Lorta went 2-3 with a home run and three RBI, Yadier Acuña had two RBI, Josue Espinoza had a double and Joshua Valenzuela added two RBI.
Mica Mountain threw Evan Wheeler, Jayson Brown, Cody Barnes and Miguel Brito. Elijah Higuera went 2-2 with a double and three RBI. Wheeler and Brito each had a double.
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