4A BASEBALL ROUND THREE
No. 9 Ironwood Ridge 9, No. 4 Scottsdale Saguaro 4
Ironwood Ridge’s seven-run fifth inning proved to be the difference in the upset win for the Nighthawks (24-7-1) over Saguaro (21-8) at Tempe’s Diablo Stadium on Wednesday.
Ironwood Ridge’s magical run to the semifinals has included defeating No. 24 Surprise Shadow Ridge in the play-in round before knocking off No. 8 Walden Grove and No. 1 Queen Creek Crismon before beating the Sabercats.
The Nighthawks, playing under first-year coach Julian Encinas, are a win away from playing in their first championship in school history after reaching the semifinals last season.
“We have more work to do,” Encinas told AZPreps365. “We came together quickly, but I had to prove to myself to them, they had to trust what I was saying was true and I was going to not only hold them accountable but myself, too.”
Ironwood Ridge sent 12 batters to the plate in the fifth-inning rally that gave it a 9-1 lead.
Junior Brody Young started the inning with a double. After an out, Young scored on a single by junior Clifford Graves, giving the Nighthawks a 3-1 lead.
Singles hit by junior Logan Palmer and senior Colin Sobecki loaded the bases.
After strikeout made it two outs, junior Tristin McQuay hit a double that scored Graves and Palmer, increasing the lead to 5-1.
Junior Angel Figueroa followed with a two-run double.
Senior Michael Chop was intentionally walked with first base open. Young came up for the second time in the inning and hit a single to load the bases.
Junior Brennan Wilson then hit a two-run single that put Ironwood Ridge ahead 9-1.
Saguaro scored twice in the sixth before its rally in the seventh inning was cut short after a bases-loaded hit to right field was dropped by the outfielder. The base runners held to see if it was caught. The hitter ran past the runner on first when that occurred, resulting in the second out. Only one run scored.
Saguaro plays at Crismon on Saturday. The winner advances to play Ironwood Ridge next Wednesday, having to beat the Nighthawks twice to advance to the 4A title game.
“We’re in a good position, but we know we’re going to get someone who is coming off a win,” Encinas said. “We will work hard and be ready for whoever it is.”
Every batter in Ironwood Ridge’s lineup had at least one hit, led by Young’s 3-of-5 performance. Wilson finished 2 of 4 with three RBIs. McQuay, the No. 9 batter, was 1 of 3 with two RBIs and a walk.
NEXT: Ironwood Ridge awaits the winner of Saturday’s elimination game between Saguaro and Crismon for next Wednesday’s semifinal round matchup at Diablo Stadium.
4A BASEBALL ROUND TWO ELIMINATION
No. 2 Salpointe 15, No. 6 Sahuarita 4, 5 innings
Sophomore Cosimo Milo and senior Johnny Abramian each hit a home run as part of a 15-hit attack in the five-inning, run-rule win for host Salpointe (21-9) against Sahuarita, which finishes its season at 22-7-1.
Senior Anthony Milo, Cosimo’s brother, and junior Adrian Villela led the Lancers with three hits each. Milo had three RBIs and Villela had one.
Cosimo and Anthony are the sons of former Arizona baseball player Tony Milo and softball player Katie Swan.
Cosimo, Anthony and Abramian each finished with three RBIs.
Junior Zachary Peura (1 for 3 with two runs and an RBI) and Villela also doubled.
Senior Christopher Gutierrez (5-1) was the winning pitcher, going three shutout innings in the shortened game. He allowed four hits, struck out one and did not issue a walk.
NEXT: Salpointe will host No. 3 ALA-Gilbert North (22-7) in an elimination game Saturday at 4 p.m. The winner advances to play No. 7 Cave Creek Cactus Shadows (20-5) in the semifinal round next week. Cactus Shadows sent Salpointe and ALA-Gilbert North to the elimination bracket.
No. 1 Crismon 8, No. 5 Douglas 0
Douglas ended it season 20-10 after the loss on the road to Crismon.
Senior Jose Ivan Higuera had two of Douglas’ five hits in the game.
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