Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Anthony Ballesteros (6) starts out of the batter’s box after putting the ball in play during the fifth inning against Bisbee. The Morenci senior has a .386 (17-44) batting average with 19 runs batted in, four doubles, a triple, and a home run. The Wildcats edged Bisbee 6-5 on April 5. Morenci welcomes No. 9 Saint Johns on Tuesday, April 9 for a 1:30 p.m. start.
The 44th Morenci Lions tourney begins on Thursday
By Raymundo Frasquillo
MORENCI – The No. 9 Saint Johns Redskins visit Francis Waldorf Stadium for a 1:30 p.m. start on Tuesday, April 8. The Wildcats posted a 6-3 win in Saint Johns on March 22.
In region pairings this week (April 8-13), Benson visits Santa Rita on Thursday, April 11; and Willcox visits Tombstone on Friday, April 12.
Non-region pairings include Benson hosting Phoenix Horizon Honors and Pima hosting Thatcher on Wednesday, April 10; Pima hosting Tucson Empire and Willcox hosting Tucson Tanque Verde on April 11; Bisbee at Saint David on April 12; and Morenci hosting the Lion’s tourney on April 11-13.
In region pairings already played, Benson defeated Willcox 15-13, Bisbee defeated Pima 10-3, and Tombstone defeated Santa Rita 23-1 in five innings on April 8.
No. 9 Saint Johns Redskins (12-4 overall)
The Kenneth Blank-coached Saint Johns Redskins (12-4 overall, 10-3 seeding, 4-0 North Region for second) are averaging a score of 13-3 (245-62) per game or a 10-run margin through 19 games.
Saint Johns has seeding wins over Eagar Round Valley (4-3, Feb. 22), Sedona Red Rock (19-1 in 5 inn, Feb. 23), Joseph City (12-0 in 5 inn, Feb. 27), Sanders Valley (10-0 in 5 inn, Feb, 28), Holbrook (14-2 in 5 inn, March 4), Flagstaff Northland Prep (5-0, March 20), Pinon (18-1 in 5 inn, March 25), Tuba City Greyhills (18-1 in 4 inn, March 28), Keams Canyon Hopi (19-0 in 5 inn, April 2), and Kayenta Monument Valley (9-1, April 4). The losses are to Morenci (3-6, March 22), Heber Mogollon (0-1, March 28), and Show Low (3-11, March 29).
The Redskins also went 2-1 during the 3-day Joseph City tourney, with wins over Ganado (15-2 in 5 inn, March 7) and Duncan (6-0, March 9) along with a loss to Holbrook (4-18 in 5 inn, March 8).
Saint Johns has a team batting average of .354 (167-472) with 112 of 163 runs batted in, 33 doubles, eight triples, and one home run. It also includes 97 strikeouts, 63 bases on balls, and being beaned 20 times.
The Redskins have used a pitching corps of six, with a combined earned run average of 3.08, struck out 165, yielded 87 hits and 45 walks, and beaned 14 while facing 429 batters during 97 2/3 innings.
A 13-member roster includes seniors Michael Bushman (3), Jackson Greer (5), Preston Lindsey (16), and Clance Wiltbank (12); juniors McKray Johnson (14), Brennon Leslie (8), Cy Lindsey (4), Everett McFee (2), and Ethan Skousen (11); sophomores Boulder Brundage (9), Juan Calderon (13), and T Platt (1); and freshman Kaden Waite (6).
No. 11 Morenci Wildcats (10-7 overall)
The Christopher Aguallo-coached Morenci Wildcats (10-7 overall, 8-5 seeding, 4-4 East Region for fifth) are averaging a score of 6-5 (109-90) per game or a 1-run margin through 17 games.
Morenci has seeding wins over Miami (14-3, March 4), Santa Rita (March 5), Bisbee (6-5, March 8), San Carlos (18-2, March 14), Round Valley (8-7, March 20), Saint Johns (6-3, March 22), Pima (6-5, March 27), and Bisbee (6-5, April 5). The losses are to Willcox (5-6, March 11), Winkelman Hayden (9-10, March 13), Tombstone (1-4, March 15), Willcox (0-11, March 18), and Benson (1-10, March 25).
The Wildcats also went 2-2 during the 3-day Benjamin Franklin tourney on Feb. 22-24, with wins over Miami (6-1 in 4 inn, Feb. 29) and Superior (2-1 in 5 inn, March 1) along with losses to Thatcher (0-4 in 5 inn, Feb. 29) and Show Low (10-11 in 5 inn, March 2).
At the plate, the team batting average is .294 (126-428) with 85 of 108 runs batted in, 20 doubles, five triples, and seven home runs. It also includes 128 strikeouts, 65 bases on balls, and being beaned 21 times.
The Wildcats have used a pitching corps of eight, with a combined earned run average of 3.11, struck out 105, yielded 91 hits and 76 walks, and beaned 10 while facing 503 batters during 101 1/3 innings.
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).
2A East Region Standings
The region standings through April 5 are Tombstone (12-4 overall, 9-3 seeding, 6-1 region) first, Bisbee (16-5, 9-4, 7-3) second, Willcox (9-10, 5-7, 4-4) third, Pima (9-8-1, 4-6, 4-4) fourth, Morenci (10-7, 8-5, 4-4) fifth, Benson (7-14-1, 4-9, 2-6) sixth, and Tucson Santa Rita (0-7, 0-7, 0-6) seventh.
To date in region pairings, Tombstone (6-1) has region wins over Pima (4-2, March 5), Santa Rita (22-0, March 12), Morenci (4-1, March 15), Benson (7-5, March 28), Pima (6-5, April 2), and Willcox (11-5, April 5). The Jamie Milligan-coached No. 4 Yellow Jackets are averaging an 8-5 (126-78) score per game or a 3-run margin through 16 games.
Bisbee (7-3) has region wins over Santa Rita (43-0, Feb. 21), Benson (6-3, March 5), Willcox (13-6, March 21), Tombstone (7-0, March 26), Benson (3-2, April 2), Santa Rita (19-0 in 5 inn, April 4), and Pima (10-3, April 8). The Todd Hammett-coached No. 6 Pumas are averaging a score of 12-3 (260-71) per game or a 9-run margin through 21 games.
Willcox (4-4) has region wins over Morenci (6-5, March 11), Morenci (11-0, March 18), Santa Rita (16-3 in 5 inn, March 26), and Benson (15-13, April 8). The Adrian Fuentes-coached No. 17 Cowboys are averaging a score of 6-7 (120-141) per game or a 1-run deficit through 19 games.
Pima (4-4) has region wins over Benson (8-0, March 8), Bisbee (3-0, March 13), Willcox (16-3, March 15), and Benson (2-0, April 5). The Tim DeCrow-coached No. 13 Roughriders are averaging a score of 6-4 (105-68) per game or a 2-run margin through 18 games.
Morenci (4-4) has region wins over Santa Rita (12-2, March 6), Bisbee (6-5, March 8), Pima (6-5, March 27), and Bisbee (6-5, April 5). The Christopher Aguallo-coached No. 11 Wildcats are averaging a score of 6-5 (109-90) per game or a 1-run margin through 17 games.
Benson (2-6) has region wins over Willcox (9-2, March 23) and Morenci (10-1, March 25). The Fred Trujillo-coached No. 12 Bobcats are averaging a score of 6-6 (139-140) per game or a tie through 22 games.
The John Chandler-coached No. 31 Santa Rita Eagles (0-6) are averaging a score of 1-23 (7-162) per game or a 22-run deficit through seven games.
2A State Rankings
The 2A Top 24 rankings for the 39 teams, at noon on April 5, numbered 6-7 (.857) from the East Region, 4-5 (.800) from the Metro Region, 4-6 (.667) from both the South and West Regions, 2-4 (.500) Valley Region, 3-7 (.429) from the North Region, and 1-4 (.125) from the Central Region.
Phoenix Arizona Lutheran (8-0 seeding, 11.5426 rating) was No. 1, Phoenix Horizon Honors (10-1, 8.8311) No. 2, Phoenix Christian (7-1, 8.1067) No. 3, Tombstone (8-3, 5.7887) No. 4, Kingman Academy (7-4, 5.1390) No. 5, Bisbee (8-3, 4.8501) No. 6, Gilbert San Tan Charter (8-3, 1.9032) No. 7, and Eagar Round Valley (9-4, 1.7306) No. 8.
Saint Johns (10-3, 1.6412) was No. 9, Tucson Saint Augustine Catholic (7-4, 1.6374) No. 10, Morenci (7-5, 1.5183) No. 11, Benson (4-6, 0.9560) No. 12, Pima (3-5, 0.8709) No. 13, Phoenix Veritas Prep (6-3, 0.7817) No. 14, Chandler Prep (7-5, minus 0.1229) No. 15, and Scottsdale Prep (5-4, minus 1.1944) No. 16.
Willcox (4-6, minus 1.4652) was No. 17, Phoenix Country Day School (4-5, minus 1.8279) No. 18, Gilbert Classical (7-6, minus 2.0811) No. 19, Phoenix Madison Highland Prep (6-6, minus 2.5042) No. 20, Sanders Valley (5-4, minus 2.9550) No. 21, Glendale Trivium Prep (3-4, minus 3.1374) No. 22, Avondale Saint John Paul II Catholic (7-8, minus 3.2369) No. 23, and Eloy Santa Cruz (4-6, minus 3.4424) No. 24.
The initial 2A Top 24 rankings, released at noon on March 26, had 6-7 (.857) from the East Region, 4-5 (.800) from the Metro Region, 3-4 from the Valley Region, 4-6 (.667) from both the South and West Regions, 2-7 (.286) from the North Region, and 1-4 (.125) from the Central Region.
Tombstone (6-2 seeding, 7.2646 rating) was No. 1, Arizona Lutheran (6-0, 7.1968) No. 2, Horizon Honors (6-1, 6.6858) No. 3, Phoenix Christian (4-1, 6.6542) No. 4, San Tan Charter (7-1, 5.1376) No. 5, Saint Johns (7-1, 4.3401) No. 6, Pima (3-2, 4.2091) No. 7, and Kingman Academy (5-2, 4.0814) No. 8.
Bisbee (5-2, 3.9109) was No. 9, Round Valley (6-3, 3.0212) No. 10, Benson (4-4, 2.2872) No. 11, Morenci (6-5, 1.4563) No. 12, Saint Augustine (4-4, 0.3579) No. 13, Chandler Prep (5-3, minus 0.7186) No. 14, Willcox (3-5, minus 0.8944) No. 15, and Gilbert Classical (5-4, minus 1.1758) No. 16.
Veritas Prep (4-3, minus 1.5039) was No. 17, Santa Cruz (3-4, minus 2.2056) No. 18, Saint John Paul II (7-6, minus 2.6792) No. 19, Madison Highland Prep (4-4, minus 2.9997) No. 20, Phoenix Country Day (2-4, minus 3.7281) No. 21, Scottsdale Prep (3-4, minus 3.9674) No. 22, Trivium Prep (1-3, minus 5.0780) No. 23, and Miami (2-7, minus 5.1383) No. 24.
No. 11 Morenci – 6, No. 6 Bisbee – 5
Recent history repeated itself. The visitors scored their initial run with the lead-off batter and the Wildcats trailed by five before crossing the plate for a second consecutive home game. Luckily, as the home team, they had the last bat or offensive opportunity to alter the outcome, provided they could put the ball in play.
Trailing by five runs, the Wildcats went through the batting order in the fifth, crossing the plate five times to tie the score at 5-5 before recording the third out. A one-out full-count walk to designated batter Aaron Mason got him on first, an infield error allowed Emilio Roybal to reach first, and a bunt got Christopher Lopez on, and an outfield error with the bases loaded allowed Anthony Ballesteros to reach third after three runs scored. Austyn Nelson doubled in Ballesteros and courtesy runner Jaymz Guzzo stole home to tie the score. Christopher Carbajal singled on, but a strike out and ground out left him on.
In the sixth, Tristan Sanchez drew a full-count walk and stole second and third before a throwing error allowed him to cross the plate with the deciding run. Mason drew another full-count walk, but a fly out and throw to first recorded Bisbee’s second double play, and a strikeout ended Morenci’s plate appearance.
Bisbee scored twice in both the first and third plus once in the second while Morenci was held scoreless through four complete innings, going three up and three down once.
Morenci limited the visitors to three up and three down twice, in the fourth and fifth, and allowed five to bat in both the sixth and seventh with two runners being left on both times.
“It’s a thing of beauty to see when it works,” Aguallo said. “We just need to execute. It was a group effort.”
For the game, Morenci batted .269 (7-26), left five runners on base, and committed five errors compared to .207 (5-29), eight stranded, runners, and seven errors by Bisbee. Morenci posted an .868 (21-12-5) fielding average versus .781 (18-7-7) for Bisbee. The Pumas also turned in a pair of double plays.
Carbajal batted .667 (2-3), Roybal .500 (2-4), Basteen and Nelson (RBI, double) both .333 (1-3), and Lopez .125 (1-4).
On the mound, Ballesteros struck out two, walked two, and allowed four hits and one earned run while facing 30 batters during six 1/3 innings. Reliever Figueroa struck out one, walked one, and yielded a hit while facing four batters during 2/3 inning.
For Bisbee, junior Bryan Martinez batted .500 (2-4), both senior Michael Alvarez and freshman Jaxxon Alvarez .333 (1-3) and sophomore Hunter Wright .125 (1-4).
On the mound, Mendez struck out seven, walked one, and allowed five hits and one earned run while facing 25 batters during five innings. Reliever Wright struck out one, walked one, and yielded a hit while facing four batters during one inning.
