No. 2 Mountain View won a 7-5 nail-biter Friday night against No. 9 Surprise Willow Canyon, advancing to the 5A softball state championship at GCU on Monday at 1 p.m.
The Mountain Lions (24-3) will play Southern Arizona rival Canyon del Oro (28-6).
Mountain View will play in its first state championship game. CDO has reached the state title game for the 15th time and has nine state championships, the last in 2017.
“It feels so surreal. We’re so excited. I can’t wait,” Mountain View pitcher Arianna Figueroa said about going to the title game.
In the first inning of Friday’s game at Amphi High School, three out of four Mountain View batters reached base. It started with a leadoff double, a hit by pitch, and a strikeout, but the batter reached base on a passed ball.
The Mountain Lions scored first when a check swing accidentally turned into a hard-hit bunt, scoring Anyssa Bojorquez.
Willow Canyon (23-10) had its first two batters reach base in the top of the second but couldn’t capitalize, getting three consecutive outs, two fly outs, and a strikeout.
Mountain View added another run with a Figueroa double, scoring Julia Donnely, who doubled earlier in the inning.
“I was trying to make contact no matter where it was pitched, and I got the job done and stayed confident,” Figueroa said about her performance at the plate. “Confidence is key.”
The Wildcats scored two runs in the third off a sac fly to right field and a double up the middle, tying the game at two apiece.
Mountain View loaded up the bases in the bottom of the fourth. Mia Quinonez hit a double, clearing the bases, regaining the lead for the Mountain Lions.
Willow Canyon responded by chipping into the lead with a double to center from Caylee Walding, bringing in a run, shrinking Mountain View’s lead to two after five innings.
The Mountain Lions added two more runs to their lead in the bottom of the sixth with doubles from Figueroa and Rhiannon Plunkett, scoring their respective runners.
At the top of the seventh, Willow Canyon loaded the bases with no outs. Lucy Burroughs hit a double, scoring two runs, keeping the Wildcats’ season alive.
“I know my team has my back, so when the next batter came up, I was ready to get things done, and I knew we got it,” Figueroa said about giving up two runs with no outs.
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