Fitting that Tanque Verde sophomore ace Claire Achilles took the Gatorade shower after the Hawks’ 5-1 win Monday over previously unbeaten Empire, snapping the defending 3A state champion Ravens’ 39-game winning streak dating to last season.
Such a celebration is generally for a coach after a championship win.
Achilles is not the coach and it was not a championship game, but with the Hawks’ youthful exuberance — only one senior on the roster — what does it matter?
“Not only can she do what she does in the circle and in the (batting) box, but she brings the team together,” Tanque Verde coach Mark Stevens said of Achilles. “They all ride with her energy, and it’s great.”
Stevens went so far as to say Achilles was the team’s leader last year as a freshman from the dugout, while nursing an injury.
He also did not hesitate to mention that the Hawks are unlike any other he has coached, including the 2016 Catalina Foothills team he coached to a state championship.
“I love this team; this is the best team chemistry than any team I’ve coached,” said Stevens, who is in his second year at Tanque Verde after coaching at Catalina Foothills for 10 seasons. “I’ve coached for a while and this is the best group of girls from top to bottom.”
Mark Stevens coached 10 years at Catalina Foothills and led the Falcons to a state title in 2016. He is in his second year at Tanque Verde and has the Hawks at 23-5 overall after today’s 5-1 upset win over top-ranked Empire. He said the young Hawks (only one senior) have the best… pic.twitter.com/u6Kc4I0zoY
— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) April 22, 2025
The sixth-rated Hawks (22-5 overall, 5-1 3A South) are in a three-way tie in the loss column of the 3A South standings with No. 1 Empire (22-1, 4-1) and No. 9 Sabino (14-11, 4-1). Sabino beat Tanque Verde 1-0 last week. Empire defeated Sabino 2-1 two weeks ago.
Achilles outdueled one of the state’s top pitchers — Empire senior Kendall Freidinger, a Weber State signee who entered the game with a 15-0 record this season.
“I’ve definitely watched a lot of game review and all respect to that team because that team is amazing,” Achilles said of Empire. “That team is so good but honestly for me as a pitcher, I appreciate the competitiveness with everything because when I have a good time, I love to be competitive.
“When you see me, I get so fired up. I love this game so much. Seriously, props to our coaches because they put on a good game today and coached so good.”
Tanque Verde ace Claire Achilles is the Hawks leader as only a sophomore. Her complete-game win and two-run HR were the difference in the 5-1 win over top-ranked Empire, ending the Ravens’ 39-game winning streak dating to last season. Achilles is a star of the future batting .534… pic.twitter.com/z7Ir7kiY8R
— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) April 22, 2025
Achilles’ two-run home run broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the fourth. The blast that cleared the fence in left-centerfield by 20 feet scored Mikaela Jackson, a freshman who led off that inning with a double.
Achilles, a Desert Thunder Rome club-team standout, scattered three hits with 12 strikeouts and a walk against Empire. The run scored against her in the seventh inning was unearned.
She improved to 12-1 with a 0.67 ERA with 145 strikeouts and 36 walks in 73 innings.
Her batting average is .534 with nine home runs and 31 RBIs.
“Last year, we had a big freshmen group, and I appreciate the big freshman group this year,” Achilles explained about the young roster. “We’re definitely lower-classmen based. That really brings a lot of fun to our team. We’re very goofy. We’re very excited.
“I think we all just have the need to play and to play competitive teams. I really appreciate that.”
The Hawks have seven freshmen, six sophomores, three juniors and one senior.
Former Ironwood Ridge standout and Arizona captain Izzy Pacho is in her second year on Mark Stevens’ staff at Tanque Verde. She coaches at third base. Stood close by her throughout the Hawks’ 5-1 win over previously unbeaten Empire and the positive energy she exudes is quite… pic.twitter.com/CX2sRzlsAz
— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) April 22, 2025
Achilles managed her way through the interview as her teammates mounted softball gloves, a lei and floppy sun hat on her head. The Gatorade shower followed.
Stevens’ staff, which includes former Ironwood Ridge and Arizona captain Izzy Pacho, is ideal for the “goofy” characteristic of the youthful team because they keep the game in perspective for the Hawks.
Former Sabino standout Tracey Rodriguez Lisacki, who teaches at Tanque Verde and is a former president of Tanque Verde Fastpitch, is another one of Stevens’ top assistants.
“It’s just a positive environment,” Pacho said. “When they step on the field each and every day, we care about them more as a person than as a player. That’s all I wanted when I played and that’s what I try to promote — you as a person, your school, your family … when you value a person off the field, on the field, it’s just that much easier.”
Freidinger struck out nine and walked two while allowing five hits and the five runs in her six innings of work.
Sara Hoagland belted her third HR of the season, and it was a big one – a 3-run shot to CF to put Tanque Verde ahead 5-0
In the bottom of the sixth. The No. 6 Hawks beat No. 1 Empire 5-1. Hoagland is a junior. The Hawks have only one senior. pic.twitter.com/PWP3bI8Apj— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) April 22, 2025
Empire suffered its first defeat since March 14 of last year against Marana. It was Freidinger’s first loss since a relief appearance in an 11-2 loss against Sahuarita last March 9, more than 13 months ago.
A three-run home run in the sixth inning by junior Sara Hoagland, her third of the season, increased Tanque Verde’s lead to 5-0.
The victory avenged last year’s 12-2 run-rule loss in five innings at Empire, which was in the midst of a 17-game winning streak en route to its 3A state title.
“This made my whole year,” Hoagland said of the victory. “I’ve been looking forward to this game for two weeks now. Only thing on my mind was to win this game.”
The state playoffs begin next week. Chances are Tanque Verde and Empire will meet again in the postseason given their lofty ratings.
“We want to have the home field while we can (in the playoffs as a top eight team) and hopefully we don’t play these guys until the championship,” Stevens said of Empire, led by three-time state champion coach Shannon Woolridge.
“I told Shannon I don’t want to see those guys until the championship.”
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