June 29, 2009

Arizona gets redemption over Texas in Championship Game; Posts best ever record of 7-1!!!!
 
The tables turned in Saturday night's Championship Game as Arizona jumped out early and fended of a tough Texas team in their comeback attempts.  In an extended game (9 innings, instead of 7) Arizona jumped out to a 9-4 lead through 5, and later held off Texas in 3 different innings with the tying run at the plate, with tough defense and bulldog like pitching to successfully win the 2009 Senior Sunbelt Classic (Arizona's second) with an Arizona best record of 7-1.  Strong pitching performances by Andrew Walter (Cactus), Aaron Copfer (Sandra Day O'Conner), Chris Capper (Deer Valley), Jordan Luvisi (Notre Dame Prep), and Tyler Giannanoti (Corona del Sol) kept Arizona in the game against a Texas offense that had outscored opponents 84-30.  The boys from AZ broke out the sticks against a future hurler for the ASU Sun Devils and continued to poor it on.  Horizon's Brandon Snyder had an MVP type performance going 2-2 (BB, HBP) with two oppo dongs that would account for 5 Arizona runs.  Snyder's Horizon teammate, Dillon Scott would also push across two going 2-3 with 2 doubles.  Also leading the offense, were Taylor Stone (Buena) picking up 3 hits, while Max Rossiter (Highland) tallied a pair of his own.  A big congrats to All Team Arizona players and coaches; Jon Watson (Chandler/Postan Butte), Sergio Acosta (Ceasar Chavez), Mike Campbell (Queen Creek) and Manager, Bill Wright (Buena).
 
All Tournament Players;
 
Matt Potter- Basha H.S.
 
Jerry Kleman- Desert Ridge H.S.

Trey Ford- Chaparral H.S.
 
Most Outstanding Pitcher- Tyler Giannonati - Corona del Sol H.S.
 
Most Valuable Player- Ryan Retz - Canyon del Oro H.S.

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The Arizona Angels White team claimed the title in the 2009 AABC Don Mattingly World Series Qualifier in Surprise. With the win, the Angels earned a berth in the Mattingly World Series in Albuquerque.

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The Dallas Tigers, for the second time in 3 years, won the title at the 2009 Connie Mack World Series qualifier at Tempe Diablo. The Tigers advance to the Connie Mack World Series in Farmington New Mexico in August.

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June 26, 2009

Michael Felton's oppo jack in extra innings sends Team Arizona into the finals against Texas!  
 
Day 3 of the Senior Sunbelt Classic would move all teams back into double-header action.  Arizona went head to head with Canada (based out of Ontario) and the defending champs out of Texas.  In the first game, Arizona fended off a scrappy team of Canadians, 3-2.  This pitching battle would only see either side logging 5 hits, but Arizona's proved to have better timing.  Basha's Matt Potter was outstanding, going 5 innings to pick up the win while allowing only one earned run on 4 hits and 7 ks.  Dylan Scott (Horizon) would close the door in relief and pick up the save for Team AZ.  Ryan Retz (Canyon del Oro) and Taylor Stone (Buena) both led the offense, going 2-3 with an RBI.  The win ran AZ to 4-0.
 
In the second game of the daylight double dip, Arizona ran into a bit of a road bump as Texas put up a 14 spot in 5 and Arizona only mustered up 5 runs of their own.  Despite putting up a late fight, the game was concluded due to the eight-run rule.  In the losing cause, Ryan Retz (Canyon del Oro) and Taylor Stone (Buena) would stay hot, with the pair dropping a bomb each.
 
Friday would conclude the round robin play and put Arizona (4-1) in a position to reach the finals with a win in the latter of the two games of their double header.  But, before facing Maryland in the second bout, Team Az would face off with Team Ohio.  After battling through 4, the teams were tied at 2.  And Again, Arizona would prevail and get the offense on track and pull out the W, 7-4.  Jason Kalber of Chandler High School went the distance and continually frustrated Ohio with his constant nibling of the corners.  Kalber did give up 4 earned, but had great command scattering 7 hits and striking out 6.  CDO's Ryan Retz continued to stay hot, going 2-3 with a 2B, 3 RBI and a BB.  Jerry Kleman (Desert Ridge) picked up a pair of hits and Brandon Snyder (Horizon) and Jordan Luvisi (Notre Dame Prep) went Yahtzee for Arizona.
 
Facing Maryland in the second game proved to be the most important contest as both teams went in with records of 5-1.  The winner would go on to face Texas in Saturday night's Championship game.  With the finals on the line, both teams were ready to battle.  Zona jumped out to an early 6-1 lead in the 2nd, but Maryland would not lay down without a fight as they battled back to an 8-8 tie in the sixth.  Maryland failed to chase any runs across and the game entered the bottom of the eighth with the before mentioned score.  With the intensity at an all time high and pitcher's battling to keep it tight, Corona del Sol's Michael Felton would belt the third pitch of the inning over the right field fence for a game winning jack.  The bomb was only the conclusion of Felton's red hot day as he would go 4-5 with 3 runs and a triple short of the cycle.  Also homering were Ryan Retz (CDO) and Trey Ford (Chaparral).  The walk off now moves Arizona into the final game and looking for redemption against the team from Texas.

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Congrats to Zach Davies (Mesquite 2011) and Shaun Chase (Desert Vista 2011) for being selected tonight to the USA baseball 16U trials. The two will travel to Southern California to compete in the 36 player team trials, where an 18 player 16U National Team will be selected.

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There will be a tryout on Sunday June 28 at Peoria Sports Complex for the Arizona NTIS Baseball Stars team that will compete in Salt Lake City, Utah in the USA Baseball Mountain West National Team Identification Tournament. The cost of the tryout is $25. As I understand it, if you qualify for the next round of tryouts the cost is $50. More info can be found here.

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June 25, 2009

In their opening game of a double dip on Tuesday, Arizona took on an overmatched Illinois team striking for 4 runs in each of the first two innings to take an 8-0 lead. Illinois would counter with 1 in the 3rd and again in the 5th, but Arizona's offense proved to be too potent combined with a shaky Illinois defense as they picked up 2 more in the 4th and another 2 in the 5th to reach the 10 run rule that would close the game out in 5 innings. The final, 12-2 Arizona. Team Arizona had strong pitching efforts from Cactus' Andrew Walter (3 IP, 2 H, 4 Ks) and Basha's Matt Potter (2 IP, 2 H, 2 Ks). Chapparal's Trey Ford scored 4 times on the night while going 1-3 with a walk and picked up his 1st jack of the tournament, a two run shot. Also leading the way and picking up where he left off from Monday's Home Run Derby, was Taylor Stone of Buena. Stone launched a ball into the night in his only official at-bat (was also HBP) to chase across 3 runs. Also contibuting with 2 knocks a piece were; Mingus' Tony Vocca (2-4, 2 Runs, 2 RBI) and Deer Valley's Chris Capper (2-2).

The night cap pitted Team Arizona against a fiesty Oklahoma Team. Arizona would prevail 6-5 in 9 innings, despite giving up a 5-0 lead in the sixth. In what proved to be a pitching battle alongside Oklahoma's shaky defense, Arizona was outhit by the boys from the Sooner State 6-8. Mingus' Tony Vocca (5 Ks, 3 BB) would pick up the win in relief, toeing the rubber for the last 3 innings and shutting down the Oklahoma offense. Tyler Giannonati (Corona Del Sol) and Jordan Luvisi (Notre Dame Prep) had notable outings on the bump for Arizona.

Going into day two of the Senior Sunbelt Classic, Arizona would pick up its 3rd win in as many attempts against Team Georgia. After trailing 2-0 going into the 4th inning, Arizona would breakout and push across 2 in the 4th and 3 in each of the next two innings to win 8-2. Deer Valley's Chris Capper was outstanding on the bump going 5 innings, while only surrendering 2 hits and 1 earned run. Capper's line would finish with 5 Ks and only 1 BB. Buena's Taylor Stone closed out the last two innings. Jerry Klemen (Desert Ridge) led the offense going 2-3, 2B, RBI. Tyler Giannonatti went oppo for a two run jack that put the game out of reach for Georgia.

 

June 24, 2009

On opening night of the Senior Sunbelt Classic in Norman, Oklahoma, Team Arizona showcased some raw power in the Annual Home Run Derby Contest. With all 8 teams sending two representatives, Zona selected Horizon High School's Brandon Snyder and Buena's Taylor Stone. On what proved to be a heavy night, Stone went yard 3 times to squeak into the next round while Snyder dropped 5 bombs to finish the first round in second place. Team Arizona was one of only two teams (the other being Georgia) to have both players move into the final round. To Snyder's disadvantage, homers did not carry over and all players began fresh. This came back to bite Brandon as he seemed pretty winded and couln't find his groove in the final round. Buena's Taylor Stone caught fire, hitting 4 missles to dead center, 1 oppo jack, and 3 others that still haven't landed to take the title. It was an awesome way to represent out of the shoot and congrats to both guys for representing!

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June 18, 2009

Arizona Takes Bronze Medal with Closing Dramatics

Team Arizona closed out the 13th Annual Junior Sunbelt Classic with a flourish – to say the least – Wednesday evening in McAlester OK. The Arizonans scored five runs in the bottom of the seventh to win, 9-7, over Tennessee in the Bronze Medal game and finish with an 8-2 record, second only to champion Georgia in the 10-team event. The eight wins equal last year’s total for the most ever by an Arizona team in this event. Arizona was the defending champion.

The final-inning heroics were highlighted by a pair of home runs, including a walk-off, three-run shot to left field by Travis Flores (Desert Ridge) that scored Rocky High (Mesquite), who had struck out with what would have been the game’s final out, but easily reached first on a passed ball, and a single to center by James McDonald (Chaparral).

Flores, who said he was hoping only not to make an out, would not have had his chance without earlier heroics from Taylor Lindsey (Desert Mountain) who led off the inning with an opposite-field single to left, and a two-run homer to center by D.J. Peterson to close the gap to 7-6. Those two hits rattled Tennessee reliever Robert Hanson, who came on in the sixth with an 89-mph fastball and a nasty slider and change up to strike out four Arizona batters (Jacob Brugman, Desert Vista, reached first on another passed ball) in that inning alone.

High, whose ability to reach first made him something of a hero for keeping Arizona alive, knew what he was doing as soon as he saw the pitch that would go for strike three. “I knew that that pitch was going to be a passed ball so I swung intending to make it to first,” said High, ever-aware when it comes to the nuances of baseball.

Flores homered off the not-as-nearly-imposing Carter Watson who came in after Hanson hit Jake Peevyhouse (Pinnacle). Peevyhouse, however, was out at second on a missed hit-and-run, and Watson appeared as if he was going to get the job done. But High and McDonald, who connected with two strikes, kept Arizona alive. Closer Jake Cole (Tucson Sahuaro) shut down Tennessee in the sixth and seventh and came away with the win after the comeback was completed.

Brugman and Peevyhouse both had homered earlier for Arizona. Brugman’s blast to left-center came in the third to give the westerners a 3-1 lead. Peeveyhouse hit his over the center field fence in the fourth to put Arizona back in front, 4-3.

Brugman led the 13-hit Arizona attack with three hits. Joey Danner (Horizon) and McDonald each had two hits.

Arizona was almost undone by five errors, which resulted in three unearned runs off Arizona starter Taylor Erwin (Willow Canyon) and reliever Tyler Kamtz (Gilbert). Six walks and a hit batsman also did not help. Tennessee looked as if it had the game well in hand when pinch hitter Dylan Haycraft hit a three-run blast to center to put his team ahead 7-4 in the top of the sixth inning.

Arizona had taken the early lead when Jacob Hunter (Tucson Salpointe), Brugman and Austin Arias (Centennial) singled in succession to produce a run in the first inning. Another run came across on a grounder to first by Lindsey.

In the championship game, Georgia – a 5-4 winner over Arizona on Tuesday – embarrassed Texas, 21-2, in five innings. Afterward, Hunter, who pitched a no-hitter on Monday night against Oklahoma Blue, Jose Sierra (Tolleson) and Peterson, who led Arizona in home runs, were named to the all-tournament team.

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June 17, 2009


Team Arizona Ends Day at 7-2 and Playing for Bronze Medal

At the end of play on Tuesday against first Georgia and then Tennessee, Scott Richardson (Tolleson) and his coaching staff – Rob Kiepke, Tolleson, Jeff Baumgardner, Sandra Day O’Connor, and Ed Vesley, Coconino – had to be very proud as they stepped off the field at Eastern Oklahoma College in Wilburton. By any measure, they had molded 20 players from 17 different high schools into a cohesive, effective and impressive team that well represented its state and high school baseball in Arizona – on and off the field – during the 13th Annual Junior Sunbelt Classic, which comes to a close today.

In what probably was the de facto championship game, Team Arizona battled valiantly but fell, 5-4, to Georgia on a run-scoring single in the bottom of the seventh. Afterward, the Georgia players and coaches offered heartfelt congratulations to the Arizona contingent along with the admonition that they did not want to have to see them again. After Texas won twice, the pairings were set for the final placement games.

Georgia, undefeated in nine games, will play Texas, 7-2, for the championship. Earlier in the week, Georgia defeated Texas, 12-2. Arizona, which rebounded from the loss to Georgia, to run-rule Tennessee, 13-5, in five innings and advance its record to 7-2 for a second-place tie, will face Tennessee, 6-3, in the bronze medal game. Texas advanced to the championship game on the strength of an earlier 8-2 victory over Arizona, in the one game in which the westerners came out flat.

Even though they failed to defend their 2008 championship, the Arizona team accomplished much of which to be proud. Every player has contributed to the team’s success, and if they can win a second time against Tennessee these players and coaches will match the record for Arizona victories (eight) in the Junior Sunbelt. Last year’s team finished 8-1. They are only the third Arizona group to win as many as seven games, and an amazing five of their victories have been shortened by the mercy rule as they have outscored their opponents, 89-27. If they win today, they will be only the fourth Arizona team to finish as high as third in this 10-team, week-long event that features high-level competition and a large contingent of college coaches watching every moment in a search for future talent. A victory today will advance Arizona’s all-time Junior Sunbelt record to 56-38.

It looked good early for Team Arizona against Georgia as the westerners jumped to a 4-0 lead after two innings.

James McDonald (Chaparral), hitting first, started it off with a double against the right-field wall. D.J. Peterson (Gilbert) brought him in with a single to left.

In he second, Jose Sierra (Tolleson) kept it going with a lead-off double to center. Jaycob Brugman (Desert Vista) brought him in with a single to left-center. After Brugman stole second, Jake Peevyhouse (Pinnacle) drove him in with a line-drive double to left-center. Peevyhouse then made it 4-0 when he came in on a single to left by Dillon Everett (Horizon).

That’s when it got a lot harder. Georgia, an offensive force to match Arizona, chipped away against stingy Arizona starter Zach Davies (Mesquite) and benefited from a very tight strike zone. Georgia also brought in left-hander Clay Garner to pitch. Garner was not overpowering, but he was smart, accurate and elusive and he would turn out to be the big hero before it was over.

Garner faced 16 Arizona hitters and retired 15. The other, Everett, walked in the fifth, but was thrown out attempting to steal second on a strikeout for what turned into a double play and snuffed out Arizona’s best chance against Garner.

Georgia tied the game on a two-run homer in the fourth off Brugman, who had come in for Davies. That might have given Georgia the lead then and there had it not been for a spectacular play by Brugman the inning before. He deftly fielded a single to deep center and gunned down the runner trying to score from second. It was a throw that left both benches and the crowd silent in amazement and the runner angry at the result that moments before had seemed impossible.

After the homer, Georgia was unable to get anything against Brugman, who gave way to Cody Gray (Mountain Ridge) in the sixth. Gray came out firing 89 and 90 mph bullets and kept Georgia at bay in the sixth and easily retired the leadoff hitter in the seventh. But then Garner, the Georgia pitcher, came to the plate. He sliced a line-drive to left that at first appeared catchable. But the ball sailed over the head of Jacob Hunter (Tucson Salpointe), and Garner had a double. Gray got the next hitter to ground out to second, but then Georgia delivered the game-winning hit on the line drive down the left-field line.

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Tennessee Presents No Problem

The Arizona players did not let the loss get them down. They came out against Tennessee and dominated against a team that was very close to being undefeated itself. By the time it was over, Arizona had three home runs in the 13-5, five-inning decision.

Peterson started it off quickly with a deep home run to left on the first pitch he saw. Arizona added three more runs in the second and four in the third to take an 8-2 lead and give starter Josh Alexander (Mountain Pointe) all the cushion he would need.

Tyler Kamtz (Gilbert) did most of the damage in the third with a two-run homer to center that scored Travis Flores (Desert Ridge) who had led off with a single. Hunter followed with a triple to right field and scored on a sacrifice to right by Davies.

In the third, Jake Cole (Tucson Sahuaro) singled and Gray walked to set the stage for a three-run homer to center by Flores. Consecutive doubles to the same spot in left center by Joey Danner (Horizon) and Kamtz completed the scoring in the inning and gave Arizona the six-run cushion.

Tennessee threatened to make it interesting with a three-run homer in the fourth, but Arizona responded decisively with five more runs in the fifth to end the game early. Hunter, McDonald and Peterson singled to produce the first run. A Tennessee error, a hit batter and a grounder to second by Taylor Lindsey (Desert Mountain) sent three more runs across before Kasey Coffman (Brophy) lined a single to center for the 13-5 margin.

Greg Ryan (Corona Del Sol) closed it out for Arizona in the bottom of the inning, retiring the last three Tennessee hitters after a walk and a single had put runners on the corners.

Kamtz and Flores each had two hits and three RBIs to lead Arizona. Peterson had two hits and two RBIs. Hunter also had two hits.

Game time for Team Arizona today is 5 p.m. CDT in McAlester, the primary site for the tournament.

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June 16, 2009

Victory over Mississippi Sets Up Showdown for Team Arizona

Team Arizona methodically defeated Mississippi, 9-1, in five innings Monday afternoon to set up a showdown tomorrow against Georgia in the 13th Annual Junior Sunbelt Classic in McAlester OK.

D.J. Peterson (Gilbert), Jose Sierra (Tolleson), Tyler Kamtz (Gilbert) and Jacob Hunter (Tucson Salpointe) each had two hits to give Rocky High (Mesquite) all the support he needed in pitching Arizona to its sixth victory in seven games. It was the fourth mercy-rule win for Arizona, which continued to hammer opposition pitching. Kamtz had two doubles, two RBIs and scored the game-ender, Sierra had just one RBI but doubled hard high off the center field fence, undoubtedly splintring the wood planks. Peterson homered at just the right time, and Hunter singled up the middle with Arizona's 11th and final hit to bring the contest to a close.

Just before Arizona's game, Georgia dominated Texas, 12-1, to remain undefeated. It was the same Texas team that handed Arizona its only loss -- 8-2 in the team's second game on Friday. A victory keeps Arizona squarely in the chase to defend its title. A loss probably has the westerners battling for the bronze medal game. But all that must wait until Wednesday. After the Georgia game, Arizona faces a Tennessee team that has looked strong.

On Monday, High, who struck out five, kept Mississippi hitters mostly befuddled. He scattered five hits, the only one of consequence a home run to left by DeShawn Dixon, the second batter of the game. High, a lefty with great baseball sophistication, picked off two of the runners with ridiculous ease.

Arizona struck right back in its half of the first. With two outs and two strikes, Peterson delivered the ball high and far over the left field fence to tie it up and give Arizona momentum, which immediately paid dividends. Sierra followed with a single between shortstop and third base and came in on Taylor Erwin's (Willow Canyon) towering pop fly that landed untouched for an infield double. Travis Flores (Desert Ridge) brought in Erwin with a flare single to right.

Arizona more than doubled its production in the third. Peterson singled and Erwin and Flores walked before Josh Alexander (Mountain Pointe) double to the left-center gap to drive in two. Kamtz then followed with double to center to make it 7-1.

In the fourth, Peterson walked and scored on Sierra's power shot off the center field fence. The game came to and end in the fifth when Kamtz hit a double to the identical spot as Alexander's and scored on Hunter's single up the middle.

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Salpointe Pitcher Fires Gem at Junior Sunbelt

As the crowd gathered Sunday under the night sky at Williburton High School's well-manicured, but bandbox of a baseball field, Jacob Hunter (Tucson Salpointe) awaited in the dugout for Team Arizona to bat in the top of the first.

But in the meeting at home plate between the coaches and umpires, Team Arizona's Scott Richardson (Tolleson) turned and announced to his players that they were the home team and to gather their gloves and take the field.

Hunter stepped on the mound a little sooner than he had anticipated, but no less prepared. For the next 90 minutes, he was oh-so-close to perfect, and when the game had ended, Hunter had a five-inning no hitter and Team Arizona had an 8-0 victory over Oklahoma Blue to advance to 5-1 in the 13th Annual Junior Sunbelt Classic.

Hunter, who struck out seven, threw approximately 50 pitches and never gave up a ball that was hit anywhere close to the short outfield fences (350 feet to center and 295 down the lines). Anything hit hard -- and there wasn't much -- was efficiently and cleanly fielded by the smooth Arizona defenders. The only blemish on the right-hander's performance came against Oklahoma's Dusty Harper, the lead-off hitter in the fifth inning, on a 3-2 count. The pitch just missed the strike zone, low and away, and Oklahoma had its first and only base runner of the night.

"He made it look easy by establishing his fastball where he wanted," said Arizona assistant coach Jeff Baumgardner (Sandra Day O'Connor), who is handling the pitchers for Richardson, the head coach. "He was good enough with the fastball that he did not have to rely on his off speed pitches at all. He only threw five the entire game. It's a good lesson for all of our pitchers. The fast ball works when you throw it in the right places."

The victory was the second of the day for Arizona. Earlier, the western contingent had won, 10-7, against Missouri. Both games were characterized by resilience and teamwork, as Richardson, Baumgardner and Arizona's two other assistant coaches -- Ed Vesley (Coconino) and Rob Kiepke (Tolleson) -- have molded these 20 players (from 18 different schools) into a group that is looking more and more as if it might have a good chance to defend last year's championship. "This was what we call moving day," said Richardson. His team moved in the right direction and faces important games against Mississippi today and Georgia and Tennessee on Tuesday.

Thus far, the baseball fans of the McAlester and Williburton OK areas have been impressed -- and with good reason.

In the second game, Arizona's hitters made it easy for Hunter to pitch with full confidence. In the first inning, Austin Arias (Centennial) singled, Travis Flores (Desert Ridge) walked and Jake Cole (Tucson Sahuaro) singled to produce one run. Taylor Erwin (Willow Canyon) then stepped to the plate and drove the ball high and far over the left field fence for three more runs and a 4-0 cushion.

In the Arizona second, it was more of the same. Zach Davies (Mesquite) led off with a double and James McDonald (Chaparral) singled before Arias drove in one run with a sacrifice to center and Cole another with a hit up the middle.

Arizona closed it out in the fifth (an eight-run mercy rule after five innings is in effect) on singles by Davies, Greg Ryan (Corona Del Sol), Tyler Kamtz (Gilbert) and Flores, who drove in Davies with the game-ender on a ball that otherwise would have gone for extra bases.

Flores (a run and RBI), Davies (two runs) and Cole (a run and two RBIs) all had two hits for Arizona. Erwin led the way with the three RBIs on his impressive home run.

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Victory over Missouri Features Early Comeback

Team Arizona staged a comeback early and withstood a rally late to win in the first game over Missouri at Eastern Oklahoma College.

Starting pitcher Joey Danner (Horizon) injected drama from the start into Arizona's day. He gave up four runs in the first inning despite putting himself in position to be effective and efficient throughout the difficulties. (When the inning ended, Danner had thrown only 28 pitches, a low number for that many runs).

A bloop single, an error and a stolen base left the first two hitters on second and third. After a single to drive in one run and a strikeout that seemed to portend good things, Danner then got two strikes early against the next three Missouri batters, but hit one and left pitches up in the zone against the other two, who did not miss.

Nonetheless, Danner never lost his composure, and Richardson -- with support from the strong Arizona batting lineup -- never lost confidence in the tall righthander. From there, Danner was lights out and robbed Missouri of its swagger by retiring 14 of the final 16 hitters he faced. In five innings, he struck out four and gave up six hits, but only two in the final four innings.

"The hitters helped him and then he helped the hitters," said Richardson, who added that Arizona's offensive output in the first inning made it easy for him to stay with Danner.

Indeed. Arizona struck back quickly and hard.

McDonald walked and Dillon Everett (Horizon) singled in front of Taylor Lindsey (Desert Mountain), who tripled to deep center for the first two runs. That was only the start.

D,J. Peterson (Gilbert) brought in Lindsey with a line-drive single to left. Kasey Coffman (Brophy) and Jose Sierra (Tolleson) each doubled for two more runs. Jake Peevyhouse (Pinnacle) kept the rally going with an opposite field single to left to score Sierra. After Rocky High (Mesquite) doubled to left, McDonald came up for the second time in the inning and delivered a hard single past first base to make it 8-4. The entire complexion of the game had quickly and permanently changed.

In the Arizona second, Jaycob Brugman (Desert Vista) doubled to left to drive in Coffman, who had singled, to extend the lead to 9-4. Those would be the last Arizona hits of the game, as Missouri relievers Adam Bush and Zach Davis handcuffed the westerners the rest of the way.

But with Danner in command on the mound, it didn't matter.

Missouri scored three runs in the sixth and seventh innings after Danner left, but the outcome simply was not in doubt at that point. Arizona's final run came in the fifth inning on walks to Brugman and Arias and an error on a ball hit up the middle by High.

All nine Arizona starters had hits in their team's 11-hit attack. Coffman (two runs) and Everett had two hits apiece. McDonald, Lindsey and Sierra each had two RBIs.

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