Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Head coach Christopher Aguallo re-lined the field before leaving for the night. The 43rd Morenci Lions baseball tourney continues on Friday, April 21 beginning with Duncan versus Mogollon at 8:30 a.m.
Hayden, Safford, Florence, and Morenci advance to the semifinals
By Raymundo Frasquillo
MORENCI – Winkelman Hayden, Safford, Florence, and Morenci advanced to the semifinal round of the 43rd Morenci Lions baseball tourney on Friday. All games will be played in Francis Waldorf Stadium.
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The 3A Pinal County Florence Gophers (16-7 overall) meet the 3A Graham County Safford Bulldogs (12-8-1) at 4 p.m. and the 1A Gila County Winkelman Hayden Lobos (19-3) face the 2A Greenlee County Morenci Wildcats (10-10-1) at 6:30 p.m.
Time-limited game advancements were made as Florence defeated Heber Mogollon 11-3, Safford defeated Saint Johns 17-2, Hayden defeated Thatcher 12-5, and Morenci defeated Pima 13-5. Pima defeated Duncan 11-3 during the meet opener.
Consolation round participants, Duncan, Thatcher, Saint Johns, Heber Mogollon, and Pima meet earlier. The Greenlee County Duncan Wildkats (9-11) face the Navajo County Mogollon Mustangs (7-10) at 8:30 a.m., the Graham County Pima Roughriders (12-9) face the Apache County Saint Johns Redskins (7-12-1) at 11:30 a.m., and the Graham County Thatcher Eagles (10-12) face the Duncan – Mogollon winner at 1:30 p.m.
Top-ranked 1A Hayden (13-2 seeding) is 9-0 for first of seven in the East Region, 1A No. 9 Mogollon (6-6) 4-5 for fourth of seven in the East Region, 1A No. 16 Duncan (8-8) 6-4 for third of eight in the South Region, 2A No. 7 Pima (9-6) 6-5 for fourth of seven in the East Region, 2A No. 11 Morenci (9-7) 5-6 for fifth of seven in the East Region, 2A No. 25 Saint Johns (7-9) 5-1 for second of seven in the North Region, 3A No. 11 Florence (11-5) 3-4 for fifth of nine in the South Central Region, 3A No. 21 Safford (7-8) 3-4 for fifth of eight in the South Region, and 3A No. 22 Thatcher (8-9) 3-4 for sixth of eight in the South Region.
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In 2022, 20-time participant and 3-time state champion Mogollon went 4-0 to end as a state champion; 21-time participant and 9-time state champion Hayden went 2-1 to end as a semifinalist; 43-time participant and 2-time state champion Morenci went 1-1 to end as a quarterfinalist; 42-time participant Thatcher went 1-1 to end as a quarterfinalist; 36-time participant and 1-time state champion Pima fell in the play-in round; 21-time participant and 2-time state champion Saint Johns fell in the play-in round; 2-time participant and 4-time state champion Florence was bumped out by No. 25 and North Region champion Page; 6-time participant and 4-time state champion Safford was bumped out by No. 29 and North Region runner-up Fort Defiance Window Rock; and 33-time participant and 2-time state champion Duncan did not qualify.
The nine teams have a combined 110-102 record in the state tourney during the past 20 years (2003-2022).
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