Rincon beat Cactus 6-4 Wednesday at Manzanita Park to advance to the District 12 Little League championship game set for Monday where Rincon will face the winner of Cactus and Copper Hills at 6:30 p.m. The “If Game” will be played Tuesday night in the double-elimination format.
Rincon (3-0) was led by Easton Watson, who went 2 for 2 with two home runs, a sacrifice fly and four RBIs. His sacrifice fly in the top of the first put Rincon up 2-0 after Hudson Haner doubled in Adam Sheppard, who reached on error to start the game.
Riesen Moehlis brought in Ben Hurley and Peter Smith in the bottom of the second to tie the game up 2-2. Watson hit his first home run in the fourth to put Rincon up 3-2 and then Rae Tanori knocked in Dom Hainley in the top of the fifth to make it 4-2. Francisco Aguilar and Moehlis hit back-to-back doubles in the bottom of the fifth to cut the lead down to 4-3 but Watson hit a two-run shot in the top of the sixth to put Rincon up 6-3.
Liam Burrell sacrificed a run in the bottom of the sixth to cut the lead down to 6-4 but Watson picked up a fly ball to end the threat with two Cactus runners on base. Watson got the victory, Ian Perez and Hurley took the mound for Cactus. Hurley went 3 for 3 at the plate and Moehlis went 2 for 2 with three RBI.
Cactus (2-1) and Copper Hills (3-1) will play Friday night at Manzanita Park.
WEDNESDAY, JULY 3
D12: LL BASEBALL AT MANZANITA
Rincon 6, Cactus 4
Copper Hills 8, Sunnyside 7 (Elimination)
FRIDAY, JULY 5
D12: 8-10 BASEBALL AT MANZANITA
Empire vs. Rincon, 6:30 p.m. (CHAMPIONSHIP)
D12: LL BASEBALL AT MANZANITA
Cactus vs. Copper Hills, 6:30 p.m. (Elimination)
MONDAY, JULY 8
D12: LL BASEBALL AT MANZANITA
Rincon vs. TBD, 6:30 p.m. (CHAMPIONSHIP)
STATE TOURNAMENTS
FRIDAY, JULY 5
BASEBALL 50/70 AT PAYSON
Continental Ranch vs. D10, 2 p.m.
Douglas vs. D2, 5 p.m.
San Xavier vs. D1, 7:30 p.m.
BASEBALL SENIORS AT NOGALES
Nogales vs. D2, 5 p.m.
San Xavier vs. D3, 8 p.m.
SOFTBALL 9-11 AT BULLHEAD CITY
Marana vs. Maricopa, 7:30 p.m.
Douglas vs. Queen Creek, 7:30 p.m.
SOFTBALL LITTLE LEAGUE AT COTTONWOOD
Randolph vs. Cactus Foothills, 8 p.m.
Thornydale vs. Round Valley, 8 p.m.
SOFTBALL JUNIORS AT ARTHUR PACK
Thornydale vs. Goodyear, 5 p.m.
Benson vs. Mt. Pines, 5 p.m.
San Xavier vs. Blythe, 7:30 p.m.
SOFTBALL SENIORS AT ARTHUR PACK
Sierra Vista vs. Four Peaks, 7:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, JULY 6
SOFTBALL LITTLE LEAGUE AT COTTONWOOD
Willcox vs. TBD, 8 p.m.