TEMPE — Tombstone coach James Milligan made a point of approaching as many players as he could after Saturday’s 7-6 loss to Phoenix Christian in the 2A state championship game at Tempe Diablo Stadium.
In his 13th year as head coach of the program, Milligan experienced his first state championship game. Although the Yellow Jackets suffered an emotional defeat, Milligan wanted to savor the moment and have his players cherish their accomplishment of making it to a title game.
“We had a great season, and like I told the boys, a lot of kids go through high school and never get this opportunity,” Milligan said. “And at our school, it took 31 years to make it this far, you know?”
Tombstone reached the state championship game for the first time since it beat Benson for the title in 1994 and the third time overall (the Yellow Jackets also were the champs in 1977).
Fourth-seeded Tombstone finished its season 20-8-1. No. 7 Phoenix Christian, which avenged a 15-5 loss in five innings at Tombstone earlier this season, ended its championship season 25-4.
Phoenix Christian wins its sixth 2A state title, first since 2018. Tombstone runner-up for the first time after claiming titles in 1977 and 1994. https://t.co/E6DYk6Aywl pic.twitter.com/skjOakhM3x
— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) May 18, 2025
Tombstone utility player DJ Elias, one of four senior captains on the team, was visibly emotional with tears welling in his eyes, realizing his stellar high school career in which he was also a standout in football and basketball came to a close. He was a four-year starter and heavy contributor in each of the sports since his freshman year.
“Everything is just hitting at once right now,” said Elias, who went 3 for 4 with two runs against Phoenix Christian. “The team made it so far, to end like this. It sucks.”
When asked what he will take from this season, Elias said, “Everyone’s grown. … everyone’s grown. This is the best team I’ve been on since I’ve been at Tombstone. I contributed as a leader to these guys.
“They all look up to me. They all like to play with me. The energy I give them feeds off of them.”
The three other seniors are right fielder Trey Franklin, left fielder Miguel Rincon and first baseman Erik Koehler. The senior quartet comprised the top four spots in the batting order, and they went a combined 7 of 15 with six runs Saturday.
“We lose the four guys, and those guys are studs,” Milligan said. “They’ve been with the program for four years. Probably in the last four or five years, this is the biggest group, the most kids who are impact players, that we’ve lost in any year.”
Encouragement for the near future: Junior pitcher/first baseman Brendan Cabellero and sophomore outfielder/pitcher Kelly Bliss each drove in three runs. Cabellero was 1 for 3 and Bliss was 2 for 4.
As was the case all game, when Tombstone responded after Phoenix Christian put together a rally, the Yellow Jackets did not go away easily, including in the bottom of the seventh.
Cabellero led off the inning with an infield single.
After a fielder’s choice grounder by Bliss got Cabellero out at second, sophomore Hank Moody hit a single to right field. Bliss tried to run to third on the play and was thrown out by right fielder Kohen Spannagel for the second out. Moody ran to second base on the throw.
“We just couldn’t quite get over that hump,” Milligan said. “We had a few mistakes on the bases and that hurt a little bit, but that’s baseball.
“That was a great game. That’s how a championship game should be. We came up on the short end. It sucks, but somebody has to (lose).”
Sophomore reliever Jude House capped his strong three innings of relief with his lone strikeout to end the game. House allowed only three hits and no runs with no walks in three innings to earn the save.
Strikeout ends the game.
Phoenix Christian 7, Tombstone 6 for the 2A title. https://t.co/0rvmQtSfQB pic.twitter.com/hBstUwENMZ— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) May 18, 2025
When House entered in the bottom of the fifth, Phoenix Christian led 7-6. No more scoring afterward.
The pitching of House and Bliss (four innings, three hits and one run allowed with three strikeouts and two walks for Tombstone) calmed a game that was full of runs, hits and errors in the first four innings.
House pitched for only the second time this season (both of his appearances in the last two days) after being out during the regular season, rehabilitating from a torn ligament in his right pitching elbow.
“He threw 27 pitches yesterday (in a 10-2 win over Veritas Prep in the semifinals) and came in and closed out the game for us today,” Phoenix Christian coach Mark Band said. “He’s a buffalo. He wants to be in charge. He wants to be on the mound. He wants to get it done.
“He’s only a sophomore, a very composed young man. We thought about pulling him in there in the last inning and going with a fresh arm, but left him in there because of his experience. It turned out to be the right decision.”
Each team scored three times in the first inning and twice in the third, taking advantage of hits and errors, to make it a 5-5 tie going to the fourth inning.
The game started ominously for pitching and defense with Phoenix Christian’s first three batters reaching base with two walks and an error.
Nate Burton and Ryne Viscum followed with RBI singles and Zach Brigowatz forced in a run on a fielder’s choice to give the Cougars a 3-0 lead.
Tombstone answered a three-run rally that started with an error.
After a single by Elias and advancement on the throw by both runners, Koehler was intentionally walked. Cabellero hit a two-run single and Bliss an RBI single to tie the game at 3.
Phoenix Christian scored its two runs in the third on an error and wild pitch.
Elias and Koehler hit a single before Cabellero was intentionally walked to start Tombstone’s third inning.
Bliss then hit a two-run single to tie the game at 5.
Both teams then scored in the fourth with Phoenix Christian’s two runs taking place on a bases-loaded walks.
Three consecutive singles by Rincon, Elias and Koehler with one out were followed by a sacrifice fly by Cabellero to cut the lead to 7-6 in the bottom of the fourth.
“We scored three, they scored three. We scored two, they scored two. We scored two again, and then they scored one,” Band recapped. “Then it’s interesting — the last few innings, both of us just kind of tightened up a little bit. The bats were pretty free early in the game, and then they just tightened up.
“I’m proud of how our guys kept fighting.”
Phoenix Christian won its sixth 2A title, first since 2018.
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