Marana needed two victories Wednesday night at Arthur Pack Park to win the West Region Junior League Softball championship over a Washington team that was dominant with a 3-0 record heading into the day.
Marana, which lost 10-5 to Washington on Sunday, staved off elimination in the first game Wednesday, winning in a 16-5 rout in six innings.
That win set up the deciding final game late in the night after nearly a 2-hour rain delay.
Marana came through with a 4-0 victory to claim the region title and advance to the Junior League Softball World Series at Kirkland, Wash., that starts Sunday.
Marana won five straight games after losing to Washington on Sunday.
Malia Mills limited Washington to three hits with two strikeouts in her complete-game performance in Wednesday’s 4-0 win in the final game.
She was boosted by a double play that ended Washington’s first inning after the first two batters reached on an error and a double. One out later, Emma Winter fielded a line drive to center field and Winter threw to third base to get the runner out there before she got back safely in time.
Marana took a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning after Cadence Beck doubled and then moved to third on a groundout. She came home on Winter’s triple with two outs.
Marana rallied for three more runs in the fifth inning after Addie Angell and Aubriana Gray started the inning with consecutive doubles.
After Bella Brooks-Rojel walked, Mariah Moreno hit another double to score Gray and Brooks-Rojel and increase the lead to 4-0.
In Marana’s 16-5 win earlier Wednesday, it fought back from a 4-1 deficit by rallying for six runs in the fourth, followed by five in the fifth and four in the sixth. Marana finished with 16 hits.
Beck went 2 for 4 with a run, two doubles and three RBIs; Abby Lee was 2 for 3 with a run and three RBIs; Gray finished 3 for 3 with two runs and an RBI; Bella Sayre was 2 for 3 with three runs, a double and an RBI; and Mills went 2 for 3 with a double and three RBIs.
WEDNESDAY, JULY 26
WEST REGION LITTLE LEAGUE SOFTBALL SEMIFINAL SAN BERNARDINO
Southern California 2, Willcox 1, 7 innings
Willcox rallied for a run in the top of the seventh inning but Southern California responded with two in the bottom of the inning in the walk-off win. Willcox will play Nevada at 9 a.m. Thursday in the elimination-bracket final. The winner of that game faces Southern California in the championship round Friday at 11 a.m. Willcox ace Hattie Macumber allowed six hits in 6 2/3 innings with a walk and a strikeout.
WEST REGION JUNIOR SOFTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND ARTHUR PACK
Marana 16, Washington 5
Marana 4, Washington 0 (final game)
ARIZONA STATE 50-70 INTERMEDIATE BASEBALL SEMIFINAL NOGALES
Douglas vs. Hawaii, postponed (rain)
ARIZONA STATE JUNIOR BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND TEMPE
Randolph 9, Mountain Pines 3
Randolph 5, Mountain Pines 2, third inning (suspended by rain, no rescheduling information)
THURSDAY, JULY 27
WEST REGION LITTLE LEAGUE SOFTBALL SEMIFINAL SAN BERNARDINO
Willcox vs. Northern California, 9 a.m. (Elimination) (ESPN+)
ARIZONA STATE 50-70 INTERMEDIATE BASEBALL SEMIFINAL NOGALES
Douglas vs. Hawaii, 10 a.m.
ARIZONA STATE JUNIOR BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND TEMPE
Randolph 5, Mountain Pines 2, resume in third inning (suspended by rain Wednesday, no rescheduling information yet)
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