Four Tucson teams will play Monday for state championships in baseball and softball โ and two of them will do it without leaving the city limits.
Sabino's top-seeded softball team will take on No. 3 Payson at 11:30 a.m. at the UA's Hillenbrand Stadium in the Class 3A state championship game. Immediately after, No. 1 seed Salpointe Catholic will face No. 2 Casa Grande Vista Grande for the Class 4A state title. Their game is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m.
Sabino made the 3A final after outlasting Empire 1-0 in 15 innings on Friday night. Salpointe has cruised through the 4A bracket as part of a so-far-perfect season, outscoring its three opponents by a total score of 35-1.
In Tempe, the same two schools' baseball teams will compete for 3A and 4A titles. Sabino's fourth-seeded baseball team will take on No. 2 Phoenix Odyssey Institute at 4 p.m., with the fourth-seeded Lancers' game against No. 2 Gilbert Mesquite to follow at 7 p.m.. Both games are being played at Tempe Diablo Stadium, spring training home of the Los Angeles Angels.
Sabino is coming off a 9-4 win over top-seeded Valley Christian on Thursday night. The Sabercats opened postseason play with an 18-0 win over Snowflake, then outlasted Pusch Ridge Christian 6-4 in the quarterfinals. Similarly, Salpointe upset the top seed โ in this case, Canyon del Oro โ in the semifinals, 5-1. The Lancers beat their first two opponents by a combined score of 23-4.
It's been a successful spring season for Salpointe already; the Lancers' beach volleyball team wrapped their perfect season by winning a state title, and their boys volleyball team made it to the Class 4A state semifinals before falling to Phoenix Northwest Christian.ย
Visit Tucson.com on Monday for more from the state title games, or pick up a copy of Tuesday's Star.
Photos: Salpointe vs. CDO in 4A State Baseball Championship semifinal game
Salpointe, CDO, baseball, 4A semifinal
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Salpointe Catholic relief pitcher Liam O'Brien (31) gets mobbed by teammates after closing out the seventh inning against Canyon del Oro to win their 4A semi-final game 5-1 at HoHoKam park in Mesa Thursday May, 13, 2021.
Salpointe, CDO, baseball, 4A semifinal
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Salpointe Catholic relief pitcher Liam O'Brien (second from left) gets mobbed by teammates after closing out the seventh inning against Canyon del Oro to win their 4A semi-final game 5-1 at HoHoKam park in Mesa Thursday May, 13, 2021.
Salpointe, CDO, baseball, 4A semifinal
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Salpointe Catholic's Dawson McHughes celebrates scoring a run against Canyon del Oro in the sixth inning during their 4A semi-final game at Ho Ho Kam park in Mesa Thursday May, 13, 2021.
Salpointe, CDO, baseball, 4A semifinal
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Canyon del Oro's Trey Weidner chased down a foul ball but couldn't hold onto it during their game against Salpointe Catholic in their 4A semi-final game at HoHoKam park in Mesa, Thursday May, 13, 2021.
Salpointe, CDO, baseball, 4A semifinal
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Salpointe Catholic's RJ Molina heads to home plate as he rounds third in the second inning against Canyon del Oro in their 4A semi-final game at Ho Ho Kam park in Mesa Thursday May, 13, 2021.
Salpointe, CDO, baseball, 4A semifinal
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Salpointe Catholic second baseman Josh Burke tags out Canyon del Oro's Isaiah Pintor during a steal attempt in the sixth inning of their 4A semi-final game at HoHoKam park in Mesa Thursday May, 13, 2021.
Salpointe, CDO, baseball, 4A semifinal
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Salpointe Catholic's Luis Garcia reacts to being called out on his slide attempt against Canyon del Oro's Jacob Charlson in the fifth inning of their 4A semi-final game at HoHoKam park in Mesa Thursday May, 13, 2021.
Salpointe, CDO, baseball, 4A semifinal
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Salpointe Catholic's Dawson McHughes slides under the tag from Canyon del Oro's Jacob Charlson to be safe in the sixth inning of their 4A semi-final game at HoHoKam park in Mesa Thursday May, 13, 2021.
Salpointe, CDO, baseball, 4A semifinal
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Salpointe Catholic's Mason White gestures to his dugout after hitting a triple against Canyon del Oro in the fifth inning of their 4A semi-final game at HoHoKam park in Mesa Thursday May, 13, 2021.
Salpointe, CDO, baseball, 4A semifinal
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Canyon del Oro's Jacob Charlson tags out Salpointe Catholic's Luis Garcia the fifth inning of their 4A semi-final game at HoHoKam park in Mesa Thursday May, 13, 2021.
Salpointe, CDO, baseball, 4A semifinal
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Salpointe Catholic players wave to goodbye towards the Canyon del Oro dugout after a strikeout in the seventh inning. Salpointe won their 4A semi-final game 5-1 at HoHoKam park in Mesa Thursday May, 13, 2021.
Salpointe, CDO, baseball, 4A semifinal
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Salpointe Catholic relief pitcher Liam O'Brien (31) delivers a pitch as he closes out the seventh inning against Canyon del Oro. Salpointe won their 4A semi-final game 5-1 at HoHoKam park in Mesa Thursday May, 13, 2021.
Salpointe, CDO, baseball, 4A semifinal
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Salpointe Catholic first baseman Jack Rogers looks for the ball as Canyon del Oro's Michael Kochanski legs out a single on an overthrown ball during their 4A semi-final game at HoHoKam park in Mesa, Thursday May, 13, 2021.
Salpointe, CDO, baseball, 4A semifinal
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Canyon del Oro pitcher Dominic Felix delivers a pitch during their game against Salpointe Catholic in their 4A semi-final game at HoHoKam park in Mesa, Thursday May, 13, 2021.
Salpointe, CDO, baseball, 4A semifinal
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Salpointe Catholic's RJ Molina gestures to the dugout after hitting a double against Canyon del Oro in their 4A semi-final game at Ho Ho Kam park in Mesa Thursday May, 13, 2021.
Salpointe, CDO, baseball, 4A semifinal
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Canyon del Oro's Dante Schindler is pumped up after he scored their first run in the first inning against Salpointe Catholic in their 4A semi-final game at Ho Ho Kam park in Mesa Thursday May, 13, 2021.
Salpointe, CDO, baseball, 4A semifinal
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Canyon del Oro pitcher Dante Schindler delivers a pitch during their game against Salpointe Catholic in their 4A semi-final game at Ho Ho Kam park in Mesa Thursday May, 13, 2021.
Salpointe, CDO, baseball, 4A semifinal
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Canyon del Oro fans cheer on their team as they play Salpointe Catholic in their 4A semi-final game at Ho Ho Kam park in Mesa Thursday May, 13, 2021.
Salpointe, CDO, baseball, 4A semifinal
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Salpointe Catholic pitcher Cade McGee delivers a pitch against Canyon del Oro in their 4A semi-final game at Ho Ho Kam park in Mesa Thursday May, 13, 2021.
Salpointe, CDO, baseball, 4A semifinal
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Canyon del Oro's Michael Kochanski gets out of the way of a inside pitch from Salpointe Catholic's in their 4A semi-final game at Ho Ho Kam park in Mesa Thursday May, 13, 2021.
Salpointe, CDO, baseball, 4A semifinal
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Canyon del Oro catcher Andrew Stucky gives some love to his pitcher Dante Schindler before their game against Salpointe Catholic during their 4A semi-final game at Ho Ho Kam park in Mesa Thursday May, 13, 2021.
