Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Alizabeth Aguilar (18) wears an ear-to-ear smile as head coach Joseph Garcia congratulates her. The Morenci senior dispatched a 0-1 pitch over the fence to score two runs as the third batter against Pima. Morenci swept the Roughriders in two abbreviated region games 11-1 and 23-3 on April 22. The Wildcats host Chandler Prep for a state tourney first round pairing on Saturday, April 27.
State first round contest pits No. 14 at No. 3
By Raymundo Frasquillo
MORENCI – The No. 14 Chandler Prep Titans face the No. 3 Morenci Wildcats on Saturday, April 26.
It is a state first round pairing.
The Titans (12-11 overall) bring a 4-4 April record to Morenci (17-6) versus 8-9 wins in the same span by the Wildcats. Chandler Prep needed a play-in round 15-5 win over No. 19 Tucson Saint Augustine Catholic on April 24 to qualify for its Greenlee County trip. Morenci earned the slot by being ranked eighth or higher.
Three other East Region teams are also involved in first-round games. Each will travel to higher seeds, No. 11 Tombstone to No. 6 Bullhead City Mohave Accelerated, No. 10 Willcox to No. 7 Phoenix Christian, and No. 15 Benson to No. 2 Laveen Heritage. If each advances, elimination will occur during the quarterfinals on May 2 or semifinals on May 3 at Phoenix Papago Softball Park, 1802 North 64th Street. Two East Region teams will not meet for the championship at Arizona State University’s Alberta B. Farrington Stadium, 510 South Athletes Place in Tempe on May 6.
No. 14 Chandler Prep Titans (12-11 overall)
The Juliana DeSante-coached No. 14 Titans (12-11 overall, 9-9 seeding, 3-5 South Region) are averaging an 11-12 (248-265) score per game or a 1-run deficit through 23 games.
Chandler Prep has seeding wins over Glendale Prep (22-12 in 6 inn, Feb. 26), Surprise Highland Prep (23-5 in 4 inn, March 4), Glendale Trivium Prep (1-0 forfeit, March 5), Tucson Saint Augustine Catholic (23-10, March 6), Maricopa Sequoia Pathway (20-6 in 5 inn, March 26), Gilbert Classical (25-3 in 4 inn, March 28), Florence American Leadership – Anthem South (21-4 in 5 inn, April 8), Sequoia Pathway (13-2 in 5 inn, April 11), and Avondale Saint John Paul II Catholic (12-11, April 17). The losses are to Saint Augustine (3-12, Feb. 28), Queen Creek Benjamin Franklin (8-19 in 5 inn, March 1), Phoenix Horizon Honors (0-17 in 6 inn, March 18), Illinois Geneseo (0-28 in 3 inn, March 19), Texas San Antonio Cornerstone Christian (0-19 in 4 inn, March 20), Chandler Valley Christian (2-15 in 5 inn, April 1), Eloy Santa Cruz Valley (1-16 in 4 inn, April 9), Santa Cruz (2-19 in 5 inn, April 16), and Horizon Honors (1-17 in 4 inn, April 19).
In addition, the Titans went 2-2 during their own 2-day tourney on March 21-22. The wins were over Ganado (4-8 in 4 inn, March 21) and Whiteriver Alchesay (20-5 in 5 inn, March 22) while the losses were to Fort Defiance Window Rock (12-14 in 4 inn, March 21) and Benjamin Franklin (10-18 in 5 inn, March 22).
Chandler Prep has a team batting average of .337 (176-522) with 168 of 259 runs batted in, 45 doubles, seven triples, and five home runs. Additionally, the Titans struck out 99 times, were walked 95 times, and beaned 16 times through 21 games (not including Trivium Prep forfeit and Saint Augustine play-in games).
In the circle, three Titans have a collective 9.79 earned run average, allowed 137 of 259 earned runs, 229 hits, seven home runs, 88 walks, andbeaned 10. Opponents had a .406 (229-564) batting average, struck out 73 times while going up to the plate 662 times during 98 innings.
Chandler Prep has a 15-member roster, including seniors Mona Bahmae (10) and Leighan Petri (2); juniors Mikayla Brackman (14), Emily Ferruzzi (4), Hanhan Hua (7), Giada Lowman (16), Amelia Lockery (9), Elise Parker (5), Cadence Smith (11), and Kyra Tucker (13); sophomores Kylie Drost (18), Lucy Garner (21), and Kate Westervelt (3); and freshman Zion Porch (18) and Natalie Shoppach (12).
No. 4 Morenci Wildcats (19-6 overall)
The Joseph Garcia-coached Morenci Wildcats (19-6 overall, 15-2 seeding, 9-1 region) are averaging a 12-4 (301-111) score per game or an 8-run margin through 25 games.
Morenci has seeding wins over Miami (12-0 in 5 inn, Feb. 26), Willcox (11-0 in 5 inn, Feb. 29), Miami (16-0 in 4 inn, March 4), Santa Rita (22-0in 4 inn, March 6), Bisbee (16-4 in 5 inn, March 8), San Carlos (28-0 in 4 inn, March 14), Willcox (14-9, March 18), Benson (13-3 in 5 inn, March 25), Bisbee (13-3 in 5 inn, April 5), Saint David (10-5, April 8), Tombstone (13-5, April 16), Horizon Honors (8-7, April 17), Benson (17-2 in 4 inn, April 19), Pima (11-1 in five inn, April 22), and Pima (23-3 in 4 inn, April 22). The losses were to Eagar Round Valley (9-12, April 11) and Tombstone (12-22 in 5 inn, April 16).
Additionally, the Wildcats went a combined 5-3 during a pair of tourneys attended, 3-1 in the 3-day Queen Creek-held tourney and 2-2 in the 2-day Chandler Prep tourney. The wins were over Phoenix Northwest Christian (6-4 in 6 inn, Feb. 22), Queen Creek Benjamin Franklin (19-0 in 5 inn, Feb. 23), Tuba City (15-0 in 3 inn, Feb. 24), Safford (2-0, March 21), and Saint Johns (11-9, March 22). The losses were to Phoenix Horizon Honors (0-9, Feb. 24), Mesa Dobson (0-6, March 21), and Joseph City (0-7, March 22).
Morenci has a .438 (289-660) batting average compared to .222 (116-522) for combined opponents. The Wildcats have driven in 256 of 298 runs, and notched 69 doubles, 17 triples, and 31 home runs while posting 145 strikeouts, 133 walks, and beaned 24 times.
A 4-person pitching corps has allowed an earned run average of 3.47 with 66 of 110 runs earned, yielded 27 doubles and 13 home runs, struck out 175, walked 57, and beaned 27 while facing 606 batters during 133 innings.
The Wildcats have a roster numbering 15, with seniors Alizabeth Aguilar (16), Kay’Leigh Blair (2), Celeis Bejarano (4), and Daviana Gallegos (5); juniors Yalitza Rios-Ortega (15), and Cameryn Woodall (3); sophomores Jaliyah Hernandez (14) and Shaylee Wichman (13); and freshmen Karol Escalona (10), Tiara Jones (11), Kieralyn Madrigal (6), Malina Martinez (7), Mayeli Salazar (12), Kailee Sandoval (8), and Janessa Webb (9).
2A State Tourney Round One
Round One of the 2A state tourney is on April 27, with No. 16 Avondale Saint John Paul II Catholic (7-11 seeding) at No. 1 Eagar Round Valley (14-3), No. 9 Kingman Academy (11-7) at No. 8 Eloy Santa Cruz (13-5), No. 12 Miami (11-7) at No. 5 Saint Johns (15-3), and No. 13 Phoenix Arizona Lutheran (6-8) at No. 4 Phoenix Horizon Honors (14-2) in the upper bracket.
The lower bracket has No. 14 Chandler Prep (8-9) at No. 3 Morenci (15-2), No. 11 Tombstone (11-6) at No. 6 Bullhead City Mohave Accelerated (13-3), No. 10 Willcox (112-7) at No. 7 Phoenix Christian (13-4), and No. 15 Benson (4-13) at No. 2 Laveen Heritage (12-2).
2A State Play-in Round
The Top 8 teams awaited the results of the No. 9-24 results on April 24, to enter the first round against the winners on April 27.
It was No. 9 Kingman Academy 24-1 over No. 24 Gilbert Leading Edge (5-11, minus 15.3172), No. 10 Willcox 17-4 over No. 22 Phoenix Madison Highland Prep (3-9, minus 9.1457), No. 11 Tombstone 22-1 over Surprise Highland Prep (3-9, minus 9.1457), No. 12 Miami 15-1 (5 inn) over No. 21 Sedona Red Rock (5-8, minus 7.0840), No. 13 Arizona Lutheran 10-0 (5 inn) over Pinon (7-9, minus 65.9171), No. 14 Chandler Prep 15-5 over No. 19 Tucson Saint Augustine Catholic (8-10, , No. 16 Benson 18-4 over No. 17 Glendale Prep (9-8, minus 3.3496), and No. 18 Avondale Saint John Paul II Catholic 19-8 over No. 15 Flagstaff Northland Prep (5-9, minus 3.0971).
Madison Highland Prep and Leading Edge finished No. 26 and No. 30, respectively, but both entered the play-in round as the second-place team from the 2-team Metro and 3-team Valley Regions, respectively.
2A State Rankings
The 2A Top 24 final rankings for the 39 teams had 5-5 (1.000) from the South, 4-4 (1.000) from the Central Region, 5-6 (.833) from the West Region, 4-6 (.667) from the East Region, 4-7 (.571) from the North Region, 1-2 (.500) from the Metro Region, and 1-3 (.333) from the Valley Region.
Eagar Round Valley (14-3 seeding, 14.0492 rating) was No. 1, \Laveen Heritage (12-2, 11.5391) No. 2, Morenci (15-2, 11.3553) No. 3, Phoenix Horizon Honors (14-2, 10.0216) No. 4, Saint Johns (15-3, 9.3000) No. 5, Bullhead City Mohave Accelerated (13-3, 8.4561) No. 6, Phoenix Christian (13-4, 8.2944) No. 7, and Eloy Santa Cruz (13-5, 7.5010) No. 8.
Kingman Academy (11-7, 4.6898) was No. 9, Willcox (12-7, 4.1346) No. 10, Tombstone (11-6, 3.65737) No. 11, Miami (11-7, minus 0.3654) No. 12, Phoenix Arizona Lutheran (6-8, minus 1.1580) No. 13, Chandler Prep (8-9, minus 1.9382) No. 14, Flagstaff Northland Prep (5-9, minus 3.0971) No. 15, and Benson (4-13, minus 3.302) No. 16.
Glendale Prep (9-8, minus 3.3496) was No. 17, Avondale Saint John Paul II Catholic (7-11, minus 4.6944) No. 18, Tucson Saint Augustine Catholic (8-10, minus 4.9111) No. 19, Pinon (7-9, minus 65.9171) No. 20, Sedona Red Rock (5-8, minus 7.0840) No. 21, Surprise Highland Prep (3-9, minus 9.1457) No. 22, Many Farms (7-11, minus 9.7940) No. 23, and Maricopa Sequoia Pathway (4-11, minus 11.2437) No. 24.
The initial 2A Top 24 rankings, released at noon on March 26, had 5-5 (1.000) from the South, 2-2 (1.00) from the Metro Region, 5-6 (.833) from the West Regions, 3-4 (.750) from the Central Region, 4-6 (.667) from the East Region, 4-7 (.571) from the North Region, and 1-3 (.333) from the Valley Region,
Morenci (8-0 seeding, 11.1512) was No. 1, Horizon Honors (5-0, 9.7497) No. 2, Heritage (7-1, 9.7431) No. 3, Round Valley (6-2, 6.7414) No. 4, Santa Cruz (4-2, 5.2235) No. 5, Mohave Accelerated (6-2, 4.7297) No. 6, Phoenix Christian (2-4, 3.8126) No. 7, and Saint Johns (3-3, 2.4165) No. 8.
Willcox (4-4, 1.3730) was No. 9, Benson (3-3, 0.5547) No. 10, Tombstone (3-3, minus 0.3348) No. 11, Red Rock (3-2, minus 0.9677) No. 12, Saint John Paul II (6-5, minus 1.1640) No. 13, Miami (4-6, minus 1.4334) No. 14, Kingman Academy (5-2, 4.0814) No. 15, and Highland Prep (3-3, minus 2.9940) No. 16.
Chandler Prep (3-5, minus 2.9985) was No. 17, Saint Augustine (3-5, minus 3.6897) No. 18, Madison Highland Prep (2-4, minus 4.7493) No. 19, Glendale Prep (3-5, minus 5.1677) No. 20, Many Farms (1-4, minus 5.4636) No. 21, Pinon (1-2, minus 5.5884) was No. 22, Arizona Lutheran (0-3, minus 6.0189) No. 23, and Sequoia Pathway (2-3, minus 6.6287) No. 24.
2A East Region Final Standings
The 2A East Region final standings were Morenci (19-6 overall, 15-2 seeding, 9-1 region) first, Willcox (12-12,
11-7, 7-3) second, Tombstone (17-9, 11-6, 7-3) third, Bisbee (6-10, 6-8, 4-6) fourth, Benson (5-17, 4-13, 3-7) fifth,
and Pima (2-19, 2-15, 0-10) sixth.
Morenci (9-1) had region wins over Willcox (11-0, Feb. 29), Santa Rita (22-0, March 6), Bisbee (16-4, March 8), Benson (13-3 in 5 inn, March 25), Bisbee (13-3, April 5), Tombstone (13-5, April 16), Benson (17-2 in 4 inn, April 19), Pima (11-1 in five inn, April 22), and Pima (23-3 in 4 inn, April 22). The Joseph Garcia-coached Wildcats averaged a 12-5 (242-98) score per game or a 7-run margin through 21 games.
Willcox (7-3) had region wins over Tombstone (14-11, March 21), Benson (13-5, March 23), Pima (17-1 in 5 inn, March 27), Bisbee (14-3 in 6 inn, March 28), Benson (19-16, April 8), Pima (24-9 in 4 inn, April 16), and Bisbee (12-9, April 17). The Trevor Ward-coached No. 10 Willcox Cowgirls (5-2) averaged an 11-9 (255-219) score per game or a 2-run margin through 24 games.
Tombstone (7-3) had region wins over Pima (17-0, March 5), Benson (28-13 in 5 inn, March 28), Pima (13-3 in 5 inn, April 2), Willcox (16-8, April 5), Morenci (12-22 in 5 inn, April 16), Benson (13-11, April 18), and Bisbee (19-11, April 22). The James True-coached No. 11 Yellow Jackets averaged a 12-7 (300-180) score per game or a 5-run margin through 26 games.
Bisbee (4-6) had region wins over Pima (11-5 in 8 inn, March 13), Tombstone (8-3, March 26), Benson (15-13, April 2), and Pima (20-15, April 8). The Melissa Wright-coached Pumas averaged a 8-10 (127-161) score per game or a 2-run deficit through 16 games.
Benson (3-7) had region wins over Bisbee (11-0, March 5), Pima (12-2, March 8), and Pima (21-6 in 6 inn, April 5). The Eric Tatham-coached No. 14 Bobcats averaged an 8-12 (167-264) score per game or a 4-run deficit through 22 games.
The Danny Olson-coached No. 27 Pima Roughriders (0-10) averaged a 6-15 (130-314) score per game or a 9-run deficit through 21 games.
