Catalina Foothillsβ Rylie Crane plays the high hop to throw out Yuma Gila Ridgeβs Raegan Rosas and strand a runner at third in the third inning of Saturdayβs Class 5A state playoff game.
Catalina Foothillsβ Samantha Dougherty gets a low-five from coach Mark Stevens after slapping a two-run homer to tie Saturdayβs game against Gila Ridge in the first inning.
Catalina Foothillsβ Rylie Crane plays the high hop to throw out Yuma Gila Ridgeβs Raegan Rosas and strand a runner at third in the third inning of Saturdayβs Class 5A state playoff game.
Kelly Presnell, Arizona Daily Star
Catalina Foothillsβ Samantha Dougherty gets a low-five from coach Mark Stevens after slapping a two-run homer to tie Saturdayβs game against Gila Ridge in the first inning.
Kelly Presnell, Arizona Daily Star
Catalina Foothillsβ Molly Brunell, top, and Madison Hairgrove celebrate a 12-2, run-rule win over Gila Ridge.
When Catalina Foothills took the field for Saturdayβs first round of the Class 5A state softball playoffs, uncertainty was everywhere. The Falconsβ starting third baseman was sick, having spent her Friday night throwing up. Their starting catcher wasnβt feeling well either β she would need a postgame IV.
Yuma Gila Ridgeβs Addison Duke then ambushed Foothills starter Kyrie Denny with a two-run homer in the top of the first inning.
No matter. Showing the fire and resilience thatβs been the hallmark of their season, the Falcons tied the game on Samantha Doughertyβs two-run shot in the bottom half, scored 10 more times the rest of the way, and run-ruled 14th-seeded Gila Ridge in five innings, 12-2.
Senior shortstop Rylie Crane called the win βawesomeβ given the adversity the team was facing at first pitch.
βWe had one of our outfielders playing third, we had a girl with a hurt finger in right,β she said. βWe had some injuries, but Iβm so proud of our girls for just fighting through it. Everyone stepped up to the plate today.β
Lauren Sizemore also homered for Foothills, which improved to 22-7.
Saturdayβs victory had added significance. The new state playoff format for Class 5A is single-elimination in the first round β anyone who loses goes home β but double-elimination after that. By beating Gila Ridge, the Falcons not only ensured they wouldnβt be eliminated Saturday, but added at least two more games to their schedule.
Foothills will host sixth-seeded Cave Creek Cactus Shadows at 4 p.m. Tuesday, with the winner moving on to Saturdayβs quarterfinals at the Rose Mofford Softball Complex in Phoenix. Whoever falls on Tuesday must climb through the loserβs bracket to get back into the playoffs. Cactus Shadows opened the playoffs Saturday with a 10-0, five-inning win over Cienega.
The excitement was palpable to Foothills coach Mark Stevens, who said this yearβs team is among his best ever.
βMoving forward, a statement win like this β we can run-rule a team β just kinda puts it out there for other teams that, hey, weβre a team to watch,β he said.