Figueroa tabbed 2nd Team All-Conference
By Raymundo Frasquillo
MORENCI – South Region sixth place Morenci had senior pitcher Bryant Figueroa tabbed all-conference (all-state) second team, as well as eight players selected to the 2025 baseball honor teams, three on the first team, two on the second team, and three honorable mention.
Figueroa (2), senior outfielder Christopher Lopez (3), and senior infielder Shane Seballos (7) were on the first team; sophomore pitcher Matthew Aguilar (5) and junior infielder Anthony Roybal (34) were on the second team; and senior infielder Peyton Basteen (25), senior infielder Christopher Carbajal (8), and junior outfielder Jaymz Guzzo (4) were listed honorable mention.
The Christopher Aguallo-coached 2A South Region Wildcats (14-15 overall, 9-9 seeding, 4-4 region for sixth of nine) averaged a 6-7 (163-191) score per game or a 1-run deficit through 29 games.
Figueroa batted .219 (14-64) with eight runs batted in, scored nine runs, struck out 21 times, and walked five times while playing in 28 games. He had a .770 (PO-22, A-35, E-17) fielding average with six double plays.
On the mound, Figueroa ended with a 5.11 earned run average, yielded 37 earned runs of 54 scored, allowed a .218 (43-197) batting average, struck out 55, walked 57, and grazed five while facing 259 batters during 50 2/3 innings requiring 1,049 pitches.
Lopez batted .239 (17-71) with nine RBIs, four doubles, a triple, a home run, scored 33 runs, struck out 17 times, walked 19 times, and was grazed four times while playing in 28 games. He had a .968 (53-7-2) fielding average with two double plays.
Seballos batted .270 (20-74), with 19 RBIs, four doubles, a home run, scored 22 runs, struck out 11 times, walked five times, and was grazed nine times while playing in 28 games. He had an .878 (31-41-10) fielding average with eight double plays.
Aguilar batted .212 (14-66) with 12 RBIs, scored eight runs, struck out nine times, walked 10 times, and was grazed once while playing in 28 games. He had an .818 (15-30-10) fielding average with six double plays.
On the mound, Aguilar finished with a 4.52 earned run average, yielded 31 earned runs of 45 scored, allowed a .246 (49-199) batting average, struck out 26, walked 32, and grazed six while facing 237 batters during 48 innings requiring 806 pitches.
Roybal batted .293 (24-82) with 26 RBIs, seven doubles, a triple, and two home runs, scored 13 runs, struck out 19 times, walked five times, and was grazed once while playing in 28 games. He had a .917 (86-13-9) fielding average with seven double plays.
Basteen batted .231 (15-65) with four RBIs, a double, and two triples, scored nine runs, struck out 18 times, and walked 20 times while playing in 28 games. He had a .914 (23-9-3) fielding average with one double play.
Carbajal batted .308 (20-65) with 13 RBIs, five doubles, and two triples, scored 21 runs, struck out 12 times, walked 21 times, and was grazed four times while playing in 28 games. He had an .836 (70-27-19) fielding average with six double plays.
Guzzo batted .222 (16-72) with 10 RBIs, three doubles, scored nine runs, struck out 22 times, and walked eight times while playing in 28 games. He had an .828 (23-1-5) fielding average with one double play.
The rest of the region member teams had five all-conference, Bisbee senior catcher Sebastian Lopez (0) and senior infielder Bryceton Meyer (1) on the first team along with senior infielder Bryan Martinez (15) on the second team; Tombstone junior infielder D.J. Ellias (5) on the first team; and Benson junior Dawson Judd (9) on the second team.
Region champion Bisbee landed 10 players, five first team, three second team, and two honorable mention; runner-up Tombstone 10, four first team, four second team, and two honorable mention; third place Benson eight, three first team, one second team, and four honorable mention; fourth place Tucson Desert Christian six, one first team, two second team, and three honorable mention; fifth place Willcox six, two second team and four honorable mention; sixth place Morenci eight; seventh place Tucson Saint Augustine Catholic seven, one first team, three second team, and three honorable mention; and both Tucson Santa Rita and Tucson San Miguel none.
Bisbee senior Bryan (15) was named Region Defensive Player-of-the-Year, Benson junior Dawson Judd Region Offensive POY, Bisbee senior Bryceton Meyer (1) and Tombstone junior D.J. Ellias (5) Region Co-POY, and Bisbee head coach Todd Hammett Region Coach-of-the-Year.
2A South Region 1st Team
Other first team selectees included Bisbee senior catcher Sebastian Lopez (0) and senior infielder Bryceton Meyer (1), senior infielder Bryan Martinez (15), senior outfielder Horacio Olivarria (7), and senior outfielder Jaxxon Alvarez (8); Tombstone junior infielder D.J. Ellias (5), senior infielder Eric Koehler (13), sophomore infielder Kelly Bliss (2), and senior infielder Trey Franklin (3); Benson junior pitcher Kellen Deskins (5), junior infielder Dawson Judd (9), and junior outfielder Rawley Evans (3); Tucson Desert Christian senior outfielder Caden Esquerra (10); and Saint Augustine Catholic senior pitcher Owen Ernie (23).
2A South Region 2nd Team
The rest of the second team had Bisbee junior pitcher Hunter Wright (13), senior outfielder David Corella (22), and senior outfielder Xavier Montiel (9); Tombstone junior pitcher Brendan Caballero (10), senior infielder Miguel Rincon (9), sophomore infielder Hank Moody (6), and sophomore infielder Sasha Webster (82); Benson sophomore outfielder Kolttin Deskins (21); Desert Christian senior catcher Ethan Craig (16) and sophomore outfielder Eric Williams (11); Willcox sophomore Jahir Reyes (6) and freshman Asher Ward (9); and Saint Augustine Catholic junior catcher Alex Martinez (40), senior infielder Diego Perez (4), and sophomore outfielder Sergio Cordova (24).
2A South Region Honorable Mention
Also listed as honorable mention were Bisbee sophomores Cameron Anderson (6) and Trystan Meyer (16); Tombstone sophomores Andrew Nugen-Dorcy (77) and Vlad Velasquez (12); Benson seniors David Harris (10) and Case Williams (8) along with sophomores Easton Adams (6) and Jason Santo (13); Willcox senior Severo Torres (4), junior Ty Shull (2), sophomore Anthony Morales (), Allred (9); and Tucson Saint Augustine Catholic.
2A State Tourney
The 2A Top 24 of 48 teams listed six of nine from the South Region, 5-9 from the Valley Region, 4-7 from the Central Region, 4-8 from the West Region, 3-7 from the East Region, and 2-8 from the North Region.
Four South Region teams qualified for the 16-team field, three from both the Central and Valley Regions, and two apiece from the East, North, and West Regions. There were six region champions, four region runners-up and third placers, and a sixth-place finisher among the contenders. Three South Region entrants, two from the Central, and one each from the East, Valley, and West, advanced to the quarterfinals. The South runners-up and third placer, the Valley champion, and the Central runners-up were still in contention during the semifinals. It was two regional runners-up, Central and South, vying for the championship.
A total of six upsets were recorded during the 4-round state tourney, concluding with No. 7 Phoenix Christian (14-4, 8.1963) slipping past No. 4 Tombstone (13-4, 9.1270) 7-6 for the title. Tombstone eliminated No. 8 Benson (11-6, 6.6522) 9-5 and Phoenix Christian ousted No. 14 Veritas Prep (10-7, 3.9754) 10-2 during the semifinals.
The quarterfinals had three upsets, No. 8 Benson 6-4 over No. 1 Bisbee (18-0, 19.6090), No. 7 Phoenix Christian (14-4, 8.1963) 5-4 over No. 2 Gilbert San Tan Charter (15-1, 14.4087), and No. 14 Veritas Prep 8-6 over No. 11 Fountain Hills (11-5, 5.4973). The other winner was No. 4 Tombstone (13-4, 9.1270) 2-1 over No. 5 Glendale Prep (15-3, 8.7832).
Upper bracket first round pairings had top seed Bisbee 5-2 over No. 18 Wickenburg (10-6, 2.2201), No. 8 Benson (11-6, 6.6522) 17-2 over No. 9 Phoenix Country Day School (12-5, 6.4308), No. 5 Glendale Prep (15-3, 8.7832) 2-1 over No. 12 Phoenix Horizon Honors (12-6, 4.8597), and No. 4 Tombstone (13-4, 9.1270) 6-0 over No. 13 Saint Johns (13-6, 4.1054).
The lower bracket contests included two upsets, No. 11 Fountain Hills (11-5, 5.4973) 6-2 over No. 6 Eagar Round Valley (14-2, 8.6485) and No. 14 Veritas Prep 1-0 over No. 3 Scottsdale Christian (14-3, 11.8808). The other two teams advancing were No. 2 San Tan Charter 2-0 over No. 15 Morenci (9-9, 2.2453) and No. 7 Phoenix Christian 10-5 over No. 10 Chandler Prep (13-5, 6.3615).
2A Play-in Round
Two upsets occurred during the Play-In Round, the lower seed defeating the higher seed, No. 17 Morenci (9-9 seeding, 2.2453 rating) over No. 16 Saint John Paul II Catholic (12-5, 3.5107) 13-9 (9 inn) and No. 18 Wickenburg (10-6, 2.2201) over No. 15 Phoenix North Valley Christian (11-7, 3.5863) 5-3.
The other Play-In Round results had No. 9 Phoenix Country Day School (12-5, 6.4308) over No. 24 Scottsdale Prep (8-11, minus 0.6280) 5-1, No. 10 Chandler Prep (13-5, 6.3615) over No. 23 Tucson Desert Christian (7-10, minus 0.4212) 12-2 (5 inn), No. 11 Fountain Hills (11-5, 5.4973) over No. 22 Willcox (8-9, 0.0858) 11-4, No. 12 Phoenix Horizon Honors (12-6, 4.8597) over No. 21 Pima (6-9, minus 0.6476) 2-1, No. 13 Saint Johns (13-6, 4.1054) over No. 20 Phoenix Arizona Lutheran (8-10, 1.3737) 7-5, and No. 14 Veritas Prep (10-7, 3.9754) over No. 19 Eloy Santa Cruz (11-5, 2.0962) 5-2.
2A South Region Final Standings
The final South Region standings had Bisbee (24-4 overall, 18-0 seeding, 8-0 region) first, Tombstone (20-8-1, 13-4, 6-2) second, Benson (15-14-1, 11-6, 6-2) third, Tucson Desert Christian (9-12, 7-10, 5-3) fourth, Willcox (9-14-1, 8-9, 4-4) fifth, Morenci (14-15, 9-9, 4-4) sixth, Tucson Saint Augustine Catholic (4-16, 4-13, 2-6) seventh, Tucson Santa Rita (1-10, 1-10, 1-7) eighth, and Tucson San Miguel Catholic (1-15, 1-15, 0-8) ninth.
San Miguel forfeited its final four games with Morenci (April 16), Santa Rita (April 22), Tombstone (April 23), and Bisbee (April 28).
