It took 15 innings, but Sabinoโs softball team is headed back to the Class 3A state championship game.
Riley Nielson drove home Izzy Armijo from second base in the 15th inning, and the top-seeded Sabercats topped fourth-seeded Empire 1-0 Friday night in a 3 1/2-hour long game at Amphitheater High School.
Sabino advances to Mondayโs Class 3A state title game, where it will take on third-seeded Payson, which beat 10th-seeded Tanque Verde 2-0 Friday night at Rose Mofford Softball Complex in Phoenix. Mondayโs game starts at 11:30 a.m.ย at the UAโs Hillenbrand Stadium.
The Class 4A state title game between top-seeded and undefeated Salpointe Catholic and No. 2 Casa Grande Vista Grande will follow.
Sabino is technically the reigning champion in Class 3A. The Sabercats won the 2019 state title as a No. 7 seed, beating Snowflake 14-2. Last year's playoffs were canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Here's a look at Friday's scores, and what's in store for the next few days:
Friday's scores
Softball
Class 3A state semfiinals
No.3 Payson 2, No. 10 Tanque Verde 0
No. 1 Sabino 1, No. 4 Empire 0 (15 innings)
Saturdayโs games
Boys volleyball
Class 5A state final
No. 2 Cienega vs. No. 1 Queen Creek Casteel at Mesa Skyline High School, 3 p.m.
Mondayโs games
Baseball
Class 3A state final
No. 4 Sabino vs. No. 2 Phoenix Odyssey Institute at Tempe Diablo Stadium, 4 p.m.
Class 4A state final
No. 4 Salpointe Catholic vs. No. 2 Gilbert Mesquite at Tempe Diablo Stadium, 7 p.m.
Softball
Class 3A state final
No. 1 Sabino vs. No. 3 Payson atย Hillenbrand Stadium, 11:30 a.m.
Class 4A state final
No. 1 Salpointe Catholic vs. No. 2 Casa Grande Vista Grande at Hillenbrand Stadium, 2 p.m.
