FLOWING WELLS HOLDS OFF FURIOUS NOGALES RALLY
SPECIAL FROM Brad Allis:
BUCKEYE – Flowing Wells jumped out to a 10-0 lead against Nogales but had to hold on for a dramatic 12-9 in the first round of the Arizona State Senior Little League All-Star tournament.
In the bottom of the 7th, Matthew Trujillo got the lead off batter to swing at a two-strike pitch in the dirt, but the ball skirted past catcher Dante Tovar and Violeta Mendez raced to first. The next two hitters singled to load the bases and the game winning run came to the plate.
Or did it?
Both the Nogales and Flowing Wells scorekeepers had the score 12-9, but the official scorekeeper had 12-7. The teams met with the scorekeeper before the start of the inning, but eventually the decision was made to play out the rest of the game and then potentially deal with a post-game appeal process.
It proved to be a moot point.
Trujillo struck out the next two batters and then got the final out on an infield pop fly that was caught by third baseman Daniel Carfagno.
“It is tough to win at this level,” said Head Coach Gilbert Tovar. “If we field better and get a few more timely hits we would not have been in this situation.”
Trujillo got the save pitching 1 1/3 innings, giving up zero runs and amassing the three strikeouts. The performance was more impressive since it was his first appearance on the mound since the high school season. While most of the other Flowing Wells players are playing some form of summer baseball, Trujillo is one of three players on the team who is also focusing on football this summer for Flowing Wells High School.
Trujillo is also one of five players on the squad who made the Flowing Wells varsity baseball team as freshmen. Fellow freshman Carlos Gallego got the start on the mound and pitched a gem.
He threw four scoreless innings but seemed to tire in the fifth, not surprising considering the 112-degree temperatures at first pitch. Nogales plated three runs in the fifth, two earned, but avoided being run ruled.
Gallego finished scattering just five hits, struck out four and earned the win.
Early on it was all Flowing Wells. They opened the game with a run in the first, but it could have been worse as they had the bases loaded and had another runner picked off.
Cruz Marcial singled and then advanced to third on an errant pick-off attempt that rolled to the fence. He then scored on a Gallego single.
Marcial had a remarkable day at the plate. The CDO sophomore to be went 3-3 with a pair of RBI and four runs scored. He also walked twice.
Flowing Wells scored five in the second to take control. Omar Rojas and Basil Molina opened the inning with back-to-back singles and advanced on a wild pitch. Rojas was thrown out at home on a fielder’s choice, but a Marcial double plated Molina and Trujillo. Gallego walked and Marcial scored on a errant throw on a steal attempt.
Seth McGinnis walked and Tovar was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Pinch runner Zeke Yngve scored from third on the second throwing error of the inning.
McGinnis closed out the scoring on an unusual play. Taking a lead at third he raced home before the pitcher came set. He rushed a throw home and McGinnis was thrown out. However, since the pitcher did not step off the mound, the catcher was required to wait behind the plate to receive the throw. After a moment of deliberation, it was ruled a balk and the run scored.
Nogales held Flowing Wells scoreless over the next two innings despite five base runners.
They would not be so fortunate in the fifth inning. Trujillo led off the inning with a double, Marcial walked and the bases were loaded on a Gallego bloop single.
McGinnis crushed a line drive to left center and raced around the bases for an inside the park home run. For McGinnis it was an especially poignant moment. For Flowing Wells junior to be it was his first game since December. He missed the entire high school season following a serious shoulder injury.
Nogales climbed back into the game thanks in part to several Flowing Wells errors. Five errors led to seven unearned runs.
Andre Miranda drove him three runs on a sixth inning triple. Isaac Aguilar had a pair of doubles, leading to him scoring twice.
Flowing Wells’ Tovar drove in a pair of runs, while Trujillo scored three times.
It was an extra special win for Coach Tovar. He grew up in Nogales and went to multiple state tournaments with Nogales Little League.
“I knew they would battle to the end,” the elder Tovar said. “They are too good to stay down the whole game.”
Flowing wells will play Buckeye on Friday at 5:45. The winner will be one game away from playing for the state championship.
San Xavier joined Flowing Wells in advancing, giving Southern Arizona two of the four first game winners. San Xavier beat Payson 13-6 and plays Blythe Friday night.
Nogales drops to the elimination bracket. They face Rio Vista Friday night.
LITTLE LEAGUE STATE TOURNAMENTS
THURSDAY, JULY 9
S 8-10: AVONDALE
Continental Ranch 9, Mt. Graham 6
Arcadia over San Xavier (ELIMINATION)
B 8-10: PHOENIX
Canyon View 7, Flagstaff 3
Goodyear 16, Cactus Empire 9 (ELIMINATION)
S LL: MESA
Tanque Verde13, Willcox 3 (ELIMINATION)
Copper Hills 10, Maricopa 0
B JUNIORS: MESA
Western 16, McCormick Ranch 1 (ELIMINATION)
S JUNIORS: FIELD OF DREAMS
Mountain Pines 11, Copper Hills 6
B INTERMEDIATE: NOGALES
Marana 15, Copper Hills 2
B SENIORS: AVONDALE
Flowing Wells 12, Nogales 9
S SENIORS: COTTONWOOD
Siera Vista 9, Queen Creek 3
Winslow 4, Thornydale 2 (ELIMINATION)
FRIDAY, JULY 10
B 8-10: PHOENIX
Douglas vs. TBD, 5:30 p.m. (ELIMINATION)
B 9-11: TEMPE
Sonoita vs. Goodyear, 6 p.m.
Rincon vs. Chandler National. 8 p.m.
Tanque Verde vs. Flagstaff, 8 p.m.
S 9-11: COTTONWOOD
Thornydale vs. D-1, 8 p.m.
B LL: ORA MAE
Continental Ranch vs. East Mesa, 5 p.m.
San Xavier vs. Chandler National, 7:30 p.m.
S LL: MESA
Tanque Verde vs. Four Peaks, 6 p.m. (ELIMINATION)
Copper Hills vs. West End, 8 p.m.
B JUNIORS: MESA
Randolph/San Xavier vs. High Desert, 5:30 p.m.
Douglas vs. Mountain Pines, 5:30 p.m.
Western vs. Queen Creek, 7:30 p.m. (ELIMINATION)
S JUNIORS: MISSION MANOR
Copper Hills vs. Prescott Valley, 5 p.m. (ELIMINATION)
B INTERMEDIATE: NOGALES
Copper Hills vs. Buckeye, 6 p.m. (ELIMINATION)
S SENIORS: COTTONWOOD
Siera Vista vs. Avondale, 5:30 p.m.
B SENIORS: AVONDALE
Flowing Wells vs. Buckey, 5:45 p.m.
Nogales vs. Rio Vista (ELIMINATION)
SATURDAY, JULY 11
B 8-10: PHOENIX
Canyon View vs. Ahwatukee, 5:30 p.m.
S JUNIORS: MISSION MANOR
Douglas vs. Four Peaks, 5 p.m.
Marana vs. Mountain Pines, 7:30 p.m.
B INTERMEDIATE: NOGALES
Marana vs. TBD, 9 a.m. (CHAMPIONSHIP)
MONDAY, JULY 13
S 8-10: AVONDALE
Continental Ranch vs. TBD 5:45 p.m. (CHAMPIONSHIP)
LOCAL WEST REGION TOURNAMENTS
BASEBALL 50/70: JULY 23-30: NOGALES
SOFTBALL JUNIOR: JULY 23-29: ARTHUR PACK
AMERICAN LEGION
THURSDAY, JULY 9 (KINO COMPLEX)
Post 132 Crush (Sunnyside) 15, Post 52 Sierra Vista 4
Monsoon 12, Post 131 Roughriders (Sahuarita) 2
FRIDAY, JULY 10 (KINO COMPLEX)
Sunnyside vs. Monsoon 7:30 p.m. (STATE QUALIFIER)
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