Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Florence and Safford lined up post-game to shake hands, fist pump, or high-five one another during the morning game on April 12. Florence eliminated Safford 6-1 and bowed out 0-3 to Hayden. Morenci faces Hayden at 11 a.m. for a championship game berth against Mogollon at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 13.
Hayden, Morenci winner in contention as another finalist
By Raymundo Frasquillo
MORENCI – Mogollon (10-5 overall) qualified for the 44th Morenci Lion’s baseball tourney championship at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 13. It will be the Mustangs’ third (2001, 2006) berth in the title game, falling both times to Willcox, 8 -19 during six innings in 2001 and 1-5 during 2006.
The other finalist will be the Hayden (14-5) versus Morenci (12-8) consolation bracket 11 a.m. winner.
In previous pairings, Hayden has a 10-9 win (March 13) over Morenci and a 10-8 win (March 11) over Mogollon, and Morenci has an 8-7 (8 inn) win over Hayden (April 12).
Florence (17-6) eliminated Safford (13-8) 6-1 during the consolation bracket opener, Mogollon remained unscathed via an 8-1 win over host Morenci in the winner’s bracket, and Hayden blanked Florence 3-0 in the other consolation bracket pairing on April 12.
Following first-day pairings on April 11, Hayden defeated Safford 5-1, Mogollon topped Florence 15-7 in six innings, and Morenci slipped past Hayden 8-7 with two outs in the eighth inning.
Despite not playing a seeding game, four of the five participating teams remain ranked in the top 10 of the statewide rankings as of noon on April 12. The Hayden Lobos (9-2 seeding, 8.5506 rating) were 1A No. 4, the Mogollon Mustangs (9-5, 4.1984) 1A No. 7, the Morenci Wildcats (9-5, 4.0250) 2A No. 7, the Florence Gophers (10-4, 7.9845) 3A No. 9, and the Safford Bulldogs (8-5, 5.0706) 3A No. 16.
The rankings as of noon on April 11 were Hayden (9-2 seeding, 8.4165 rating) for 1A No. 4, Mogollon (9-5, 4.2945) for 1A No. 7, Morenci (10-4, 3.9740) for 2A No. 7, Florence (9-5, 7.8577) for 3A No. 8, and Safford (8-5, 4.8353) for 3A No. 16.
Florence is 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 are on the current rosters.
Mogollon Mustangs (10-5 overall)
The Reed Porter-coached Mustangs 1A No. 7 (10-5, 6-1 East Region for 2nd of 7) are averaging a 9-4 (137-66) score per game or a 5-run margin through 15 games.
An 18-member roster includes seniors Kyson Owens (3), Kadon Porter (53), Keagan Porter (15), and Adrian Suarez (5); juniors Cort Porter (23), Hadley Porter (4), and Chancy Worsley (14); sophomores Stetson Owens (16), Brody Porter (24), Kaleb Porter (19), Rocky Porter (22), Richard Reidhead (32), Slade Reynolds (30), Yoyo Suarez (7), Quinn Tenney (31), and Johnny McKeever (44); and freshmen Alejandro Pimental (12) and Anthony Pimental (42).
Hayden Lobos (14-5 overall)
The Robert Lorona-coached Lobos 1A No. 4 (14-5, 5-0 East Region for 1st of 7) are averaging a 9-3 (175-54) score per game or a 6-run margin through 19 games.
A 27-member roster includes seniors Domonic Alvarado (17), Christopher Casillas (00), Deondre Collier (42), Jarin Cruz (35), Eric Fox (13), Rene Ochoa (8), and Ramon Ramirez (6); juniors Matthew Armenta (4), Paul Gaither (14), Jacob Manriquez (9), and Jordan Rodriguez (3); sophomores Manny Aguirre (99), Angelo Castillo (98), Tyler Garner (7), Mario Hong (21), Augustine Lorona (22), Angel Moreno (27), and Elijah Morrison (20); and freshmen Ryan Garner (10), Lucas Gonzalez (23), Eddie Jaramillo (24), Jonah Lopez (30), Marcos Oropeza (18), Javier Ortega (16), Darrin Smith (2), Alejandro Waddell (44), and Blake Vargas (56).
Morenci Wildcats (12-8 overall)
The Christopher Aguallo-coached Wildcats 2A No. 7 (12-8, 4-4 East Region for 5th of 7) are averaging a 6-6 (124-110) score per game or a tie through 20 games.
A 17-member roster includes seniors Anthony Ballesteros (6), Andrew Chavez (5), Austin Hudman (24), Aaron Mason (23), Austyn Nelson (10), Emilio Roybal (1), and Tristan Sanchez (22); juniors Peyton Basteen (16), Christopher Carbajal (8), Christopher Lopez (3), Jordan Romero (20), Shane Seballos (7), Raymond Segobia (12), and Jacob Verdugo (13); and sophomores Bryant Figueroa (2), Jaymz Guzzo (4), and Anthony Roybal (34).
Florence Gophers (17-6 overall)
The J.T. Neal-coached Gophers (17-6 overall, 3-2 South Central Region for 3rd of 8) are averaging an 8-5 (176-97) score per game or a 3-run margin through 21 games.
A 16-member roster includes seniors Gabe Lizarraga (12), Noah Madueno (9), and Mikey Martling (16); juniors Tanner Gammons (7), Rylin Leopoldino (1), Cameron Lorefice (2), Zane O’Rourke (3), and Logan Stenson (8); sophomores Jayden Magill (11), Wyatt Stenson (4), and Bryce Tanner (22); and freshmen Jaryn Leopoldino (9), Ralin Moser (17), Jagger Navarro (10), Brody Ramirez (13), and Adrian Rodriguez (15).
Safford Bulldogs (13-8 overall)
The Robert Abalos-coached Bulldogs (13-8 overall, 3-2 South Region for 3rd of 8) are averaging a 9-5 (185-101) score per game or a 4-run margin through 21 games.
A 14-member roster includes seniors Isaiah Alvarado (5), Michael Chavez (7), Juan Estrada (23), JoJo Ruelas (12), and Chris Shatto (8); juniors Carlos Arbizo (21), Cole Goodman (24), and Zayden Sanchez (31); sophomores Damian Abril (9), Dylan Broderick (20), Darren Maldonado (22), and Dylan Stahl (6); and freshmen Osvaldo Estrada (34) and Andrew Trujillo (33).
April 12
Hayden – 3, Florence – 0
Hayden crossed the plate three times with its initial three batters, sending seven batters up before getting three outs, and didn’t score during the rest of the game. It didn’t matter as the Gophers were unable to score, sending fewer than five up once, four up four times, a three twice.
The Lobos were limited to four up twice, went three up and three down four times, and left three runners on while the Gophers went four up four times, twice three up and three down, and stranded six.
Mogollon – 8, Morenci – 1
Mogollon scored four runs with its initial four batters, getting on with a pair of singles and loading the bases on a bunt single. The Mustangs crossed the plate on an outfield error plus a stolen base. A 0-4 walk was followed by a pick-off on a steal attempt and a pair of strikeouts, four consecutive three up and three down, and another run with five batters up. The fifth run was doubled in following a sixth-inning walk.
Morenci scored its lone run on a throwing error after the grazed batter reached first with one out in the second inning.
For the game, Mogollon batted .286 (8-28), stranded five base runners, and made a lone error compared to .143 (3-21), four runners left on, and two errors by Morenci.
On the mound, two Morenci pitchers struck out six, walked five, yielded a sacrifice, and eight hits while one Hayden pitcher struck out two, walked two, grazed two, and allowed three hits.
Florence – 6, Safford – 1
Although a lone earned run plus posting a higher batting average, .200 (4-20) to .136 (3-22) and more strikeouts (7 to 2) than their opponent, the Bulldogs were unable to overcome four errors or having allowed seven walks to one by the Gophers.
Florence scored twice in the first, once in both the third and fourth, and twice in the sixth while Safford scored once in the fourth.
2024 Tourney Participant Finalists
Mogollon (2001, 2006) and Safford (2022, 2023) have twice been finalists with the Bulldogs the team champion in 2023 (13-1 over Hayden); Hayden a finalist nine times (1979, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1999, 2023) and champion in 1979 (5-4 over Morenci), 1987 (12-8 over Willcox), and 1990 (16-8 over Willcox); 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 the previous 43 tourneys, the Morenci Lions Club has hosted 39 school teams with 29 state finalists preparing for the post-season in Morenci, and 18 finishing as state champions.
In 2023, one team bowed out during the play-in round, five teams went a combined 7-4 in the Round of 16 state tourneys, and Hayden emerged as the 1A state champion.
Last season, 22-time participant and 10-time state champion Hayden (25-4 overall, 14-2 seeding, 10-0 region) went 4-0 to earn the 1A state title as the top seed, 44-time participant and 2-time state champion Morenci (14-13-1, 10-7, 6-6) wound up a 2A semifinalist as No. 10, 21-time participant and 3-time state champion Mogollon (10-12, 7-6, 5-5) was a quarterfinalist as No. 10, 3-time participant and 4-time state champion 3A No. 11 Florence (19-9, 12-5, 4-4) bowed out in the first round, and 7-time participant and 4-time state champion Safford (12-10-1, 7-8, 4-4) succumbed in the play-in round as 3A No. 21.
Individually at season’s end, seven players were named all-conference (all-state) first team, six second team, and seven honorable mentions along with a coach of the year; 25 players were selected all-region first team, 19 second team, and 26 honorable mentions along with two coaches of the year. Additionally, there were two defensive players of the year, two offensive players of the year, two players of the year, and a co-player of the year.
