Cole Altherr took a no-hitter into the fifth inning and Dante DeNiro sealed the deal as No. 2-seeded Catalina Foothills beat No. 11 Phoenix St. Mary's 2-1 and advanced to the 4A state baseball championship.
It will be the Trojans' first state final appearance since 2010.
Photos by Ralph Freso for the Arizona Daily Star
Catalina Foothills 4A baseball
Catalina Foothills' Cole Altherr (13) is congratulated by Chris Kowalcek (2) and teammates after scoring a run against St. Mary's during the sixth inning of their State 4A Championship semifinal baseball game at Tempe Diablo Stadium on Wednesday, May 9, 2018, in Tempe, Ariz.
Catalina Foothills 4A baseball
Catalina Foothills' Dante DeNiro hits a double against St. Mary's during the fourth inning of their State 4A Championship semifinal baseball game at Tempe Diablo Stadium on Wednesday, May 9, 2018, in Tempe, Ariz.
Catalina Foothills 4A baseball
Catalina Foothills' Matthew Cullen tumbles over the plate as he is tagged out by St. Mary's catcher Josh Avila on a suicide squeeze during the sixth inning of their State 4A Championship semifinal baseball game at Tempe Diablo Stadium on Wednesday, May 9, 2018, in Tempe, Ariz.
Catalina Foothills 4A baseball
Catalina Foothills pitcher Cole Altherr delivers a pitch against St. Mary's during the third inning of their State 4A Championship semifinal baseball game at Tempe Diablo Stadium on Wednesday, May 9, 2018, in Tempe, Ariz.
Catalina Foothills 4A baseball
Catalina Foothills' Cole Altherr reacts after scoring a run against St. Mary's during the sixth inning of their State 4A Championship semifinal baseball game at Tempe Diablo Stadium on Wednesday, May 9, 2018, in Tempe, Ariz.
Catalina Foothills 4A baseball
Catalina Foothills’ Matthew Cullen (4) is tagged out by St. Mary’s catcher Josh Avila on a suicide squeeze in the sixth inning Wednesday. Foothills will play for the title Monday.
Catalina Foothills 4A baseball
Catalina Foothills' Dante DeNiro, right, scores on a sacrifice fly by teammate Matthew Cullen as St. Mary's catcher Josh Avila awaits the throw to the plate during the fourth inning of their State 4A Championship semifinal baseball game at Tempe Diablo Stadium on Wednesday, May 9, 2018, in Tempe, Ariz.
Catalina Foothills 4A baseball
Catalina Foothills’ pitcher Dante DeNiro delivers a pitch against St. Mary’s during the sixth inning of their State 4A Championship semifinal baseball game at Tempe Diablo Stadium on Wednesday, May 9, 2018, in Tempe, Ariz.
Catalina Foothills 4A baseball
Catalina Foothills outfielder Matthew Cullen attempts to make a diving catch of a sinking line drive by St. Mary’s during the second inning of their State 4A Championship semifinal baseball game at Tempe Diablo Stadium on Wednesday, May 9, 2018, in Tempe, Ariz.
Catalina Foothills 4A baseball
Catalina Foothills pitcher Dante DeNiro (27) and teammates celebrate after defeating St. Mary's to advance to the State 4A Championship during their semifinal game at Tempe Diablo Stadium on Wednesday, May 9, 2018, in Tempe, Ariz.
TEMPE — Catalina Foothills’ battery of Cole Altherr and Dante DeNiro is among the best in Arizona.
The No. 1 seed and defending state champion Nogales Apaches took a must-win 4A semifinal Wednesday night, beating No. 5 Peoria Sunrise Mountai…
Malaea Rocha had been saving up her money for a while and asked her mother what she’d like for Mother’s Day. For Salpointe Catholic softball c…