By Raymundo Frasquillo
MORENCI — The 45th annual Morenci Lions Baseball Tournament begins Thursday, March 6, with four teams eventually playing 10 games before it ends. This meet differs from the previous 44 in that a pool game will be played on the first day, and the winners will meet for bracket play the next day. The third-place game is at 11 a.m., and the championship is at 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 8. It is being held at least a month before the 2024 meet.
Game 1 of the Pool Round on March 6 has host 2A South Region Morenci (2-3 overall) versus 3A North Region Holbrook (2-3) at 11 a.m., Game 2 has Heber Mogollon (1-0) vs. Saint Johns (1-1) at 1 p.m., Game 3 has Saint Johns vs. Holbrook at 3 p.m., and Game 4 has Morenci vs. Mogollon at 5 p.m.
Morenci Wildcats (2-3 overall)
The Christopher Aguallo-coached 2A South Region Wildcats (2-3 overall) are averaging a 2-5 (9-23) score per game or a 3-run deficit through five games.
Morenci has yet to play a seeding game. The Wildcats went 2-3 during the 3-day Florence tourney, edging San Tan Valley San Tan Foothills (4-3 in 5 inn, Feb. 27) and Holbrook, 4-5 in 5 inn, March 1) and falling to Safford (0-9 in 4 inn, Feb. 27), Superior (1-7 in 4 inn, Feb. 28), and San Manuel (1-2 in 5 inn, March 1).
A 17-member roster includes seniors Peyton Basteen (16), Christopher Carbajal (8), Bryant Figueroa (2), Alejandro Gonzalez, Jeremy Knutsen, Christopher Lopez (3), Jordan Romero (20), Shane Seballos (7), Omar Torres, Marques Varela (23), Jonathan Vasquez, and Jacob Verdugo (1); juniors Michael Chavez (33), Jaymz Guzzo (4), Manuel Medina (12), and Anthony Roybal (34); and sophomore Matthew Aguilar (5).
Last season, No. 11 Morenci (10-8 seeding, 2.7745 rating) bowed out of the state tourney with a 2-5 first-round loss to No. 6 Phoenix Horizon Honors (15-3, 5.3955) following a 7-2 Play-in Round win over No. 22 Eloy Santa Cruz (6-9, minus 3.8906).
Holbrook Roadrunners (2-3 overall)
The Ryan Baldonado-coached 3A East Region Roadrunners (2-3) are averaging an 8-8 (41-41) score per game or a tie through five games.
Holbrook has a 22-12 (5 inn) seeding game win over Ganado (March 4) and went 1-3 during the 3-day Florence tourney.
The Roadrunners defeated Miami (11-8 in 5 inn, Feb. 27) and succumbed to Show Low (0-8 in 4 inn, Feb. 27), Hayden (6-10 in 5 inn, Feb. 28), and Morenci (2-3 in 5 inn, March 1).
A 13-member roster includes seniors Niko Espitia (8), Ty Larson (1), and Stefan Trujillo (7); juniors Bryson Autobee (11), Josh LeSeuer (12), and Matthias Montijo (13); sophomores Ben Eisele (10), Lukai Frenette (4), Tilden Larson (3), Justin Maestas (5), and Baler Reidhead (6); and freshmen Levi Autobee (10) and Hayden Eisele (25).
The Roadrunners are making their sixth trip to Wildcat Country, with the 2009 tourney being the reason for being the previous one.
Last season, No. 30 Holbrook (8-10 seeding, minus 0.1620 rating) did not qualify for the post-season.
Mogollon Mustangs (1-0 overall)
The Reed Porter-coached 1A East Region Mustangs (1-0) are averaging a 22-0 (22-0) score per game or a 22-run margin through one game.
Mogollon has a 22-0 (4 inn) seeding win over Phoenix Maryvale Prep (March 4).
A 16-member roster includes seniors Cort Porter (23), Hadley Porter (4), and Chancy Worsley (14); juniors Johnny McKeever (44), Stetson Owens (2), Brody Porter (5), Kaleb Porter (19), Rocky Porter (22), Parker Reidhead (12), Slade Reynolds (30), Eric Starkes (6), Yoyo Suarez (7), and Quinn Tenney (31); and sophomores Alejandro Pimental (12) and Anthony Pimental (42); and freshman Jett Reidhead (32).
The Mustangs are making their 22nd trip to Wildcat Country, the previous one due to the 2024 tourney.
Last season, No. 8 Mogollon (11-6 seeding, 3.9034 rating) edged No. 9 Elfrida Valley Union (10-7, 3.3943) 1-0 before making a 0-10 (6 inn) quarterfinal exit to No. 1 Bagdad (17-0, 19.1629).
Saint Johns Redskins (1-1 overall)
The Kenneth Blank-coached 2A North Region Redskins (1-1 overall) are averaging a 3-4 (5-7) score per game or a 1-run deficit through two games.
Saint Johns has two played two seeding games, defeating Fort Defiance Window Rock (4-0, Feb. 28) and falling to Pima (1-7, March 4).
A 12-member roster includes seniors Dane Avila (3), Make Cox (10), McKray Johnson (13), Brennon Leslie (8), Cy Lindsey (4), and Ethan Skousen (5); juniors Boulder Brundage (9), Oscar Jaramillo (12), and T Platt (1); and sophomore Kaden Waite (6).
The Redskins are making their 22nd trip to Wildcat Country, with the 2023 tourney being the reason for being the previous one.
Last season, No. 13 Saint John (12-6 seeding, 1.3595 rating) exited the state meet with a 1-4 loss to No. 4 Tombstone (13-5, 6.0209) after a 7-4 Play-in Round win over No. 20 Phoenix Country Day (8-9, minus 3.3827).
44th (2024) Tourney Results:
Hayden captured the 44th Morenci Lion’s baseball tourney championship with a 15-6 win over Mogollon on April 13.
The Lobos were a finalist nine times (1979, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1999, 2023) and thrice the champion in 1979 (5-4 over Morenci), 1987 (12-8 over Willcox), and 1990 (16-8 over Willcox) during 21 previous meets they participated in.
Hayden traversed the consolation bracket route to qualify for its title berth, defeating Morenci (12-9) 5-2 in the semifinal earlier in the day and Florence 3-0 in the quarterfinal on April 12, following an eight-inning winner’s bracket semifinal one-run loss to Morenci and a 5-1 opening round win over Safford on April 11.
Mogollon qualified for its third title game berth in 21 meets attended, topping Florence 15-7 in the first round and Morenci 8-1 in the semifinal. The Mustangs fell twice to Willcox during their other title games, 8 -19 during six innings in 2001 and 1-5 during 2006.
Florence eliminated Safford 6-1 during the consolation bracket opener on April 12.
44th (2024) All-Tourney Team:
The all-tournament team included six from Hayden and Mogollon, four from Morenci, and two from Florence and Safford.
Meet champion Hayden had senior Domonic Alvarado (17), juniors Matthew Armenta (4), Jacob Manriquez (9), and Jordan Rodriguez (3), sophomore Augustine Lorona (22), and freshman Darren Smith (2). In contrast, runner-up Mogollon had senior Kyson Owens (3) and Adrian Suarez (5), juniors Cort Porter (23), Hadley Porter (4), and Chancy Worsley (14), and sophomore Rocky Porter (22).
Third place Morenci landed seniors Anthony Ballesteros (6) and Emilio Roybal (1) along with juniors Peyton Basteen (16) and Christopher Carbajal (8); Florence had juniors Tanner Gammons (7) and Rylin Leopoldino (1); and Safford had seniors Isaiah Alvarado (5) and JoJo Ruelas (12).
Additionally, Hayden senior infielder Eric Fox was named the Daniel B. Lopez Most Valuable Player, and Safford senior catcher Isaiah Alvarado was selected for the Robert Sotelo Sportsmanship Award.
Florence was in its third meet, Safford its seventh, Mogollon its 21st, Hayden its 22nd, and Morenci its 44th. A total of 23 individual 2023 post-season honorees were on the 2024 rosters.
2024 Championship:
Hayden – 15, Mogollon – 6
Trailing 2-5 through four innings, Hayden crossed the plate 11 times while sending 15 batters up in the fifth. The Lobos reached base on five walks, three singles, three doubles, a triple, and an error.
Mogollon added a run in the seventh, while Hayden said one in the sixth and seventh to account for the scoring.
The designated home team, the Mustangs, went three up and three down during the first two innings before going through the entire batting order in the third and scoring thrice.
Mogollon stranded eight runners compared to nine by Hayden.
2024 Tourney Participants as Finalists
Mogollon (2001, 2006, 2024) and Safford (2022, 2023) have twice been finalists with the Bulldogs the team champion in 2023 (13-1 over Hayden); Hayden a finalist 10 times (1979, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1999, 2023, 2024) and champion in 1979 (5-4 over Morenci), 1987 (12-8 over Willcox), 1990 (16-8 over Willcox), and 2024 (15-9 over Mogollon); and Morenci a finalist 21 times (1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1985, 1986, 1989, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2019) and champion in 1980 (4-2 over Miami), in 1981 (2-1 over Thatcher), 1982 (8-1 over Thatcher), 1985 (6-5 in 12 inn over Hayden), 1989 (14-10 over Thatcher), 1992 (15-10 over Willcox), 1994 (9-7 over Clifton), 1997 (5-0 over Willcox), 1999 (8-3 over Hayden), 2003 (9-1 over Thatcher), 2007 (4-2 over Thatcher), 2014 (3-0 in 5 inn over Willcox), and 2016 (12-2 in 5 inn over Miami).
Over 44 tourneys, the Morenci Lions Club has hosted 44 different school teams, with 31 state finalists preparing for the post-season in Morenci and 19 finishing as state champions.
