Burbank’s Ann Buffolino had one of the best stat lines of the day (3-5, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 11 K) and she is mobbed at home after her home run against Flagstaff. (Andy Morales/AllSportsTucson.com)

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STATE 8-10 BASEBALL TOURNAMENT

Nogales International beat Glendale Arrowhead 5-1 Saturday night to set up a winner’s bracket semifinal game against Oro Valley at the 8-10 Little League state tournament taking place at Freedom Park. Oro Valley defeated Cave Creek Cactus Foothills South 9-4 in the other game featuring teams from Southern Arizona.

Nogales and Oro Valley will face off Wednesday night at 7:45 p.m. Sunnyside is still alive in the elimination bracket and the team from Mission Manor is taking on Maricopa Monday night at 6:30 p.m.

Oro Valley took a 5-0 lead on Cactus Foothills in the bottom of the first and survived a late rally for the 9-4 win. DiAngelo Alexander took the mound for Oro Valley and Christian Soder took over in the fourth inning and the duo combined for six strikeouts.

Alexander helped his own cause by going 2-for-3 at the plate with a home run, triple and five RBI and Soder finished 2-3 with an RBI. Cole Newton went 2-3 with two RBI, Ayven Sholl went 2-3 and Chad Butterbrodt picked up a pinch-hit single.

Henry Verhamme, Sam Floriano and Colton Muller shared pitching duties for Cactus Foothills. Brody Viavattene had an RBI triple to help lead Cactus Foothills at the plate and Luca Amoroso also had a triple. Luke Jacobs had a single and Verhamme went 1-1 with a sacrifice fly.

Cactus Foothills moves over to the elimination bracket where they will take on the winner of Gilbert National and West Flagstaff Tuesday night at 7:45 p.m.

WESTERN REGION JUNIOR SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT

The Western Region Junior Softball Tournament took off on Saturday with a total of eight games played at Arthur Pack. Utah went 2-0 to advance to the Championship Bracket out of the B Pool and Washington (2-0) and Northern California (1-0) will face off tonight at 7:30 p.m. to decide the winner of the A Pool.

The Arizona state champion Flagstaff team fell 15-2 to Southern California and 11-0 to Alaska. Flagstaff plays in a consolation game against Oregon on Monday night. The host team, Tucson Mountain, lost to Washington 11-0 in the first round but beat Oregon 9-2 in elimination play to stay alive. Tucson Mountain plays Nevada tonight in another elimination game scheduled for tonight at 5 p.m.

ALASKA: Mackenzie Moore (4-5, 2 doubles, 3 RBI); Katelyn Wilson (3-4).
SO. CAL: Clarissa Robles (4-8, HR, 7 RBI); Kymberlina Rudder (3-4, triple, 3 RBI); Ann Buffolino (3-5, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 11 K).
OREGON: Zuri Reeser (2 RBI); Katelyn Griffin (triple).
WASHINGTON: Leslie Hines (4-6, 2 doubles, 3 RBI, 9 K); Kelsie Williams (3-5, double, 3 RBI, 9 K); Zoe Spraetz (2 doubles, 3 RBI).
FLAGSTAFF: Natalie Hansen (2-4, HR, 2 RBI); (Maggie Auza (double).
NEVADA: Taya Grasmick (1-2); Vanessa Benavides (1-2, RBI).
UTAH: Tyler Mooring (3 RBI); Virginia Deming (3-6, 2 doubles, 2 RBI); Jenna Thorkelson (3-5, double, 2 RBI, 17 K).
NO. CAL: Harmony Balchus (3-5, triple, 2 RBI); Sophia Tyler (3-5, double, triple, 3 RBI); Samantha Flores (RBI, 8 K).
TUCSON: Angelique Ochoa (HR, 2 RBI); Celeste Estrella (Double, 3 RBI); Kiera Lopez (4-7, double, RBI); Julia Pratti (22 K).

The winner will advance to Kirkland, Washington to play in the Junior League Softball World Series, starting on July 29.

Oro Valley’s DiAngelo Alexander picked up five strikeouts in the win over Cactus Foothills South (Andy Morales/AllSportsTucson.com)

LOCAL SCHEDULE

SATURDAY, JULY 14

WESTERN REGION JUNIOR SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT
Washington 11, Tucson Mountain 0
So. California 15, Flagstaff 2
Alaska 11, Flagstaff 0
Tucson Mountain 9, Oregon 2

STATE 8-10 BASEBALL TOURNAMENT
Nogales 5, Arrowhead 1
Oro Valley 9, Cactus Foothills South 4

SUNDAY, JULY 15

WESTERN REGION JUNIOR SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT
Tucson Mountain vs. Nevada, 5 p.m.

MONDAY, JULY 16

STATE 8-10 BASEBALL TOURNAMENT
Sunnyside vs. Maricopa, 6:30 p.m.

WESTERN REGION JUNIOR SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT
Flagstaff vs. Oregon, 5 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 18

STATE 8-10 BASEBALL TOURNAMENT
Nogales vs. Oro Valley, 7:45 p.m.

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Andy Morales was recognized by the AIA as the top high school reporter in 2014 and he was awarded the Ray McNally Award in 2017 and he has been a youth, high school and college coach for over 30 years. His own children have won multiple state high school championships and were named to all-state teams. Competing in hockey, basketball, baseball and track & field in high school, his unique perspective can only be found here and on AZPreps365.com. Andy is the Southern Arizona voting member of the Ed Doherty Award, recognizing the top football player in Arizona, and he was named a Local Hero by the Tucson Weekly for 2016. Contact Andy Morales at AMoralesMyTucson@yahoo.com