Despite 16 strikeouts by Tanque Verde junior pitcher Gabby Fukunaga, Empire emerged victorious 4-3 at home Monday in the only regular-season meeting between the 3A South powerhouse programs.
Empire (21-5, 5-0 3A South) clinched the region title over Tanque Verde (23-4, 5-1).
The Ravens have one 3A South game remaining at Thatcher (13-10, 3-2) on Wednesday at 4 p.m. If Empire loses that game, it will still hold the tiebreaker for the title with its head-to-head victory over Tanque Verde.
The Hawks’ last three games are against non-region opponents Marana, Rio Rico and Desert Christian.
Sophomore standout Vanessa Grijalva (10-5) won the pitcher’s duel against Fukunaga. Grijalva allowed only three hits and two earned runs in her complete-game performance, which included two strikeouts and three walks.
Fukunaga (7-2) allowed five hits and two runs over six innings and walked one to go with her career-high 16 strikeouts.
Empire led 1-0 in the bottom of the second inning after a passed ball allowed a run to score.
The lead increased to 2-0 when Ava Norton stole home in the third inning. Norton led off with a single and Lainey Kroeger followed with another single that advanced Norton to third base. On a double steal, Kroeger moved to second base and Norton ran home.
After Tanque Verde managed its first run on a passed ball in the top of the fifth, Empire scored on a wild pitch and a suicide-squeeze bunt by Cazlynn Darling in the bottom of the inning to make it a 4-1 lead.
Consecutive home runs by Tanque Verde’s Sara Hoagland and Claire Achilles cut the lead to 4-3 with one out in the top of the seventh inning.
Grijalva got the last two batters to ground out and pop out.
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