Canyon del Oro pitcher Blake Lehmbeck tosses the ball to first base during Wednesday's win over Gilbert Mesquite in Tempe. Lehmbeck was stellar, pitching 6 1/3 innings. The Dorados will face Salpointe Catholic on Monday night for the Class 4A state title.

 Darryl Webb, Special to the Arizona Daily Star

Canyon del Oro and Salpointe Catholic will play Monday for a state championship in baseball.

Top-seeded Nogales' road, however, just got a bit harder.

The Apaches lost to Scottsdale Desert Mountain 5-3 in nine innings on Wednesday night at Hohokam Stadium, forcing a winner-take-all playoff game on Thursday night. The teams will reconvene at the same stadium at 6:30 p.m, with the winner advancing to the Class 5A state final.

Salpointe and CDO avoided such drama by dispatching their loser's-bracket opponents on Wednesday night. The Lancers beat Walden Grove 5-4 to punch their ticket to Monday's Class 4A state final; there, they'll take on the Dorados, who beat Gilbert Mesquite 5-3.

Here's a look at Wednesday's scores, Thursday's games … and what's on tap for next week. Games will be added if — and when — more Southern Arizona teams advance:

WEDNESDAY

BASEBALL

Class 5A state semifinals (double-elimination bracket)

No. 9 Scottsdale Desert Mountain 5, No. 1 Nogales 3, 9 innings

Class 4A state semifinals (double-elimination bracket)

No. 4 Canyon del Oro 5, No. 5 Gilbert Mesquite 3

No. 3 Salpointe Catholic 5, No. 2 Walden Grove 4

THURSDAY

BASEBALL

Class 5A state semifinals, elimination game

No. 9 Scottsdale Desert Mountain vs. No. 1 Nogales at Hohokam Stadium, 6:30 p.m.

SOFTBALL

Class 5A state semifinals (double-elimination bracket)

No. 3 Catalina Foothills vs. No. 1 Surprise Willow Canyon at Rose Mofford Softball Complex, 5:30 p.m.

Note: If Foothills wins Thursday's game, the teams will play an elimination game later in the evening. 

Class 4A state semifinals (double-elimination bracket)

No. 7 Cottonwood Mingus vs. No. 1 Salpointe. Catholic at Rose Mofford Softball Complex, 5:30 p.m.

No. 4 Paradise Honors vs. No. 2 Canyon del Oro at Rose Mofford Softball Complex, 5:30 p.m.

Note: If Mingus or Paradise Honors wins, the teams will play an elimination game later in the evening.

BOYS VOLLEYBALL

Class 5A state semifinals

No. 4 Peoria Sunrise Mountain at No. 1 Cienega, 6 p.m.

Class 4A state semifinals

No. 3 ALA-Gilbert North at No. 2 Salpointe Catholic, 6 p.m.

FRIDAY

SOFTBALL

Class 3A state title game

No. 2 Winslow vs. No. 1 Sabino at Farrington Softball Stadium, 3 p.m.

MONDAY

BASEBALL

Class 4A state championship game

No. 4 Canyon del Oro vs. No. 3 Salpointe Catholic at Tempe Diablo Stadium, 7 p.m.

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