When Mica Mountain senior ace Acelynn-Rose Heston was a freshman in 2023, she was mentored by a small group of upperclassmen when the program was in its infancy stages following the opening of the school in the 2020-21 school year.
That team in 2023 had seven freshmen, including Heston, and four sophomores.
She is now one of four seniors remaining from that group, including outfielders Violet Suarez and Isabella Saucedo, and catcher Brooke Sandison.
“We have a very solid squad, and it starts in the circle for us,” Mica Mountain first-year coach Jim Martinez said after Tuesday’s 7-2 win at home over defending state champion Flagstaff Coconino in a 4A second round game.
“Ace is a four-year starter here. Very competitive, pitching. Very competitive at the plate.”
During her freshman season, Heston and her team were eliminated in the second round of the state playoffs by Coconino.
In the first postseason meeting with the Panthers since that defeat, Heston and the Thunderbolts emerged as victors Tuesday.
The No. 2 Thunderbolts (27-4) will next host No. 6 Cave Creek Cactus Shadows (21-7) in a third-round game Saturday at 11 a.m.
In this year’s playoff journey, Heston is now the mentor of young players such as freshman first baseman Sadie Ratcliff and sophomore third baseman Caeli Shellenbarger, the lone players with multiple hits in Tuesday’s victory.
Ratcliff was 3 for 4 with a run, double and two RBIs, Shellenbarger went 2 for 4 with a run, double, triple and RBI, freshman second baseman Briel Ramirez was 1 for 2 with two runs and an RBI and freshman right fielder Emma Pedrique was 1 for 2 with a run and stolen base.
“Our freshmen are doing really well,” Heston said. “They’re learning to get along with us, and they’re just moving up with us as a team. I think the seniors are doing a really good job coaching them and bringing them along to help the program.”
Heston’s performances are a calming influence in the pressure-filled playoffs for the young players.
She struck out 12 while allowing only three hits in seven innings against Coconino. She has 59 strikeouts and only seven walks in her last five games.
“I’ve been working on my pitching, hitting my spots, doing what I can to hit every pitch,” said Heston, who added that her method to be in her recent groove is to “have fun.”
Mica Mountain scored in each inning over the first four innings while building its 7-0 lead.
Coconino is not the same in the circle without standout Kaitlyn Tso, who was 29-1 last year and was so formidable that she ended Salpointe’s run of six consecutive state titles. Tso is now pitching at Cal State Northridge.
Heston kept Coconino in check over the first five innings, including stranding a runner at second base in each of the first three innings.
She retired 10 straight batters before allowing consecutive walks and then an RBI single to Savannah Waters in the sixth inning. Coconino then scored its other run on a throwing error.
She closed the game striking out two in the ninth inning.
“Communication, effort,” Heston said when asked with it will take for her and the Thunderbolts to win their first state title. “For me, not letting up in the last few innings. I kind of sled myself down, so just like keeping the pressure on until the game’s over.”
Martinez is in his first year as a high school coach after a highly successful run as a youth club coach with Impact Gold and Arizona Storm.
He welcomes three days without a game before Saturday’s third-round matchup with Cactus Shadows.
“The goal from the beginning was to win our first state championship,” Martinez said. “We’ve got a couple of things we have to square away (including defense after a couple of errors Tuesday) before we get to the next round. It will be good for us to get some work in.”
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