Brianna Aguilar-Beaucage has a garbage-like taste in her mouth with the memory of Cienega drubbing Salpointe Catholic in the Division II state championship softball game last May.
Aguilar-Beaucage, best known as "Bobo," was then a junior for the Lancers. SheΒ struck out six over 3 2/3 inningsΒ while surrendering five earned runsΒ on eight hits. She finished 1 for 3 at the plate, with a single and a strikeout. She also had an error.
βI remember after the game wishing we had done better, but it was good that we got there,β Aguilar-Beaucage said. βThat feeling of getting there, even this year, I think it helps us to know we got there. Now I can help my younger teammates who may not know what to do going into that similar situation.β
The two-way, four-year varsity star has rebounded to lead the Lancers in innings pitched, wins, strikeouts, saves, RBIs and home runs in her final season. Sixth-seeded SalpointeΒ (18-5) officially begins its quest to get back to the state final on Tuesday, when it hostsΒ No. 22 Cave Creek Cactus Shadows in a win-or-go-home second-round game at 4 p.m. (Scroll down for a full postseason schedule)
Aguilar-Beaucage, a captain, is one-of-three seniors on a team with 10 underclassmen. Salpointe's five losses this season have come at the hands of some of the state's top teams, includingΒ Canyon del Oro, Ironwood Ridge and Sahuaro, who earned the top three seeds in the 24-team Division II playoffs.
The Star caught up with Aguilar-Beaucage at Monday's practice to learn more about how the Lancers are preparing for another deep postseason run:
In all your four seasons as a Lancer you've been able to be on teams that qualify for the postseason. Your first two seasons the team was eliminated early and last season you broke through to get to the state final. What was last season's postseason run like and how is this year's squad different?
A: βLast year we were a senior dominant team and had a lot of people who just pushed us to get to the championship game. We wanted it. This year's team is so different from last year. We have a lot of babies on this team. Last year we had so many seniors β not that they're babies, but we have a lot of younger kids. Their energy and talents are different, it's a good different.β
As your team begins its quest to get back to the state championship game, what comes to your mind?
A: βI think if I was ever given the chance to go back again, I would want to pitch a little bit differently, be smarter about what I did out there. I was just flat. I'd try to move the ball around a little more. I think I let the pressure and just being there and everything get to me. I don't think I ever saw myself being in that position or having the chance to even get in that game.β
Do you think the moment was too big, too soon? What was it that had you out of your element?
A: βYou walk into ASU stadium, just being in that environment alone, all the locker rooms, the dugout being so nice. And just warming up in the bullpen, everything is so big there. I think it was just a shock being on that field. I think everything else just pulled my focus a little bit too much. I was focused on the game, but I was playing I was still in this awe factor, of 'Whoa, we're here.'β
As a captain, being one of three seniors on this team, what's the message you want to send to the team heading into this postseason?
A: βI think the drive of wanting to get there and just knowing that these next two weeks are going to be softball non-stop. This is our goal, this is what we have to focus on. For the younger girls, we have a great group, and not that there is going to be pressure or its going to be any different, but we just need to be ready to go into that different type of environment and stay really focused.β
STATE TOURNAMENT GLANCE
BASEBALL
DIVISION II STATE TOURNAMENT
(24 teams, double-elimination after second round. Winner-take-all championship game)
Saturdayβs first-round results
No. 9 Tucson 2, No. 24 Scottsdale Notre Dame 1 (11 innings)
No. 10 Ironwood Ridge 5, No. 23 Mountain View 3
No. 19 Mesa Westwood 7, No. 14 Catalina Foothills 5
No. 21 Prescott Valley Bradshaw Mountain 8, No. 21 Sierra Vista Buena 2
No. 11 Cave Creek Cactus Shadows 9, No. 22 Cienega 3
Second round β Tuesday, 4 p.m.
No. 19 Mesa Westwood at No. 3 Salpointe Catholic
No. 11 Cave Creek Cactus Shadows at No. 6 Canyon del Oro
No. 10 Ironwood Ridge at No. 7 Sunnyside
No. 9 Tucson at No. 8 Buckeye Verrado
DIVISION III STATE TOURNAMENT
(32 teams, single elimination)
First-round results
No. 2 Nogales 7, No. 31 Empire 0
No. 7 Sahuarita 4, No. 26 Glendale Cactus 1
No. 17 Payson 8, No. 16 Rio Rico 7
No. 12 Phoenix Washington 8, No. 21 Walden Grove 7
Saturdayβs second-round results
No. 7 Sahuarita 7, No. 10 Maricopa 1
No. 18 Phoenix Northwest Christian 5, No. 2 Nogales 2
Quarterfinals β Friday at Surprise Baseball Complex
No. 18 Phoenix Northwest Christian vs.Β No. 7 Sahuarita, 6 p.m.
DIVISION IV STATE TOURNAMENT
(24 teams, single elimination)
First-round results
No. 12 Catalina 4, No. 21 Flagstaff Northland Prep 2
No. 13 Benson 4, No. 20 Tempe Prep 0
No. 18 Phoenix Valley Christian 9, No. 15 Tanque Verde 3
No. 22 Amphitheater 12, No. 11 Chinle 0
Saturdayβs second-round results
No. 1 Desert Christian 12, No. 17 Morenci 2
No. 7 Pueblo 7, No. 10 Sedona Red Rock 1
No. 5 Yuma Catholic 2, No. 12 Catalina 1
No. 4 Apache Junction 8, No. 13 Benson 7
No. 6 Buckeye 5, No. 22 Amphitheater 0
Quarterfinals β Friday at Goodyear Baseball Complex
No, 8 Camp Verde vs. No. 1 Desert Christian, 6 p.m.
No. 7 Pueblo vs. No. 2 Glendale Joy Christian, 6 p.m.
DIVISION V STATE TOURNAMENT
(24 teams, single elimination)
First-round results
No. 10 Elfrida Valley Union 18, No. 23 Sanders Valley 2 (5 innings)
No. 11 St. Augustine Catholic 10, No. 22 Mogollon 0 (5 innings)
No. 9 Kearny Ray 11, No. 24 Tombstone 7
Saturdayβs second-round results
No. 4 Bisbee 12, No. 20 Winterhaven (California) San Pasqual 5
No. 7 Superior 12, No. 10 Elfrida Valley Union 8
No. 6 Miami 11, No. 11 St. Augustine Catholic 1 (5 innings)
Quarterfinals β Friday at Tempe Diablo Baseball Complex
No. 5 Eloy Santa Cruz vs. No. 4 Bisbee, 6 p.m.
SOFTBALL
DIVISION II STATE TOURNAMENT
(24 teams, double-elimination after second round. Winner-take-all championship game)
Saturdayβs first-round results
No. 12 Cienega 7, No. 21 Mesa Skyline 3
No. 16 Desert View 3, No. 17 Flagstaff 0
No. 18 Sunnyside 9, No. 15 Buckeye Verrado 5
No. 19 Sierra Vista Buena 12, No. 14 Gilbert Mesquite 7
Second round β Tuesday, 4 p.m.
No. 16 Desert View at No. 1 Canyon del Oro
No. 18 Sunnyside at No. 2 Ironwood Ridge
No. 19 Sierra Vista Buena at No. 3 Sahuaro
No. 22 Cave Creek Cactus Shadows at No. 6 Salpointe Catholic
No. 9 Goodyear Desert Edge at No. 8 Tucson
No. 12 Cienega at No. 5 Phoenix Arcadia
DIVISION III STATE TOURNAMENT
(32 teams, single elimination)
Saturdayβs first-round results
No. 7 Catalina Foothills 5, No. 26 Lake Havasu 4
No. 10 Douglas 15, No. 23 Lee Williams 0
No. 16 Empire 13, No. 17 Glendale Apollo 2
No. 11 Phoenix Bourgade Catholic 3, No. 22 Sahuarita 1
No. 19 Rio Rico 9, No. 14 Avondale Agua Fria 1
No. 24 Nogales 6, No. 9 Goodyear Estrella Foothills 0
Second round β Thursday at Rose Mofford Sports Complex in Phoenix
No. 10 Douglas vs. No. 7 Catalina Foothills, 5:30 p.m.
No. 16 Empire vs. No. 1 Yuma Cibola, 3:30 p.m.
No. 19 Rio Rico vs. No. 3 Mohave Valley River Valley, 3:30 p.m.
No. 24 Nogales vs. No. 8 Show Low, 3:30 p.m.
DIVISION IV STATE TOURNAMENT
(24 teams, single elimination)
First-round results
No. 19 Pusch Ridge Christian 16, No. 14 Willcox 14
No. 20 Tanque Verde 13, No. 13 Globe 0
No. 24 Amphitheater 18, No. 9 Florence 1
Saturdayβs second-round results
No. 1 Benson 12, No. 16 Phoenix Country Day 0 (5 innings)
No. 3 San Manuel 9, No. 19 Pusch Ridge Christian 8
No 5 Pueblo 14, No. 21 Thatcher 4
No. 4 Yuma Catholic 13, No. 20 Tanque Verde 11
No. 24 Amphitheater 2, No. 8 Chandler Prep 0
Quarterfinals β Friday at Rose Mofford Sports Complex in Phoenix
No. 24 Amphitheater vs. No. 1 Benson, 5 p.m.
No. 11 Morenci vs. No. 3 San Manuel, 5 p.m.
No. 4 Yuma Catholic vs. No. 5 Pueblo, 5 p.m.
DIVISION V STATE TOURNAMENT
(24 teams, single elimination)
First-round results
No. 13 San Miguel 13, No. 20 Williams 0 (5 innings)
No. 12 Mayer 13, No. 21 Bisbee 12
No. 9 San Carlos 8, No. 24 Academy of Tucson 7
No. 11 St. David 14, No. 22 Mogollon 10
Saturdayβs second-round results
No. 4 Elfrida Valley Union 17, No. 13 San Miguel 6 (5 innings)
No. 6 Joseph City 16, No. 11 St. David 14
Quarterfinals β Friday at Rose Mofford Sports Complex in Phoenix
No. 5 Winkelman Hayden vs. No. 4 Elfrida Valley Union, 5 p.m.
BOYS TENNIS
DIVISION II STATE TOURNAMENT
First-round results
No. 1 Catalina Foothills 5, No. 16 Surprise Willow Canyon 0
No. 2 Pusch Ridge Christian 5, No. 15 Canyon del Oro 0
No. 6 Salpointe Catholic 5, No. 11 Chandler Prep 0
No. 8 Nogales 5, No. 9 Scottsdale Notre Dame 0
No. 4 Mesa Skyline 5, No. 13 Rincon/University 2
Second round β Tuesday, 3 p.m.
No. 8 Nogales at No. 1 Catalina Foothills
No. 7 Phoenix Thunderbird vs. No. 2 Pusch Ridge Christian at El Conquistador
No. 6 Salpointe Catholic at No. 3 Buckeye Verrado
DIVISION III STATE TOURNAMENT
First-round results
No. 9 Desert Christian beats No. 8 Tanque Verde by forfeit
Second round β Tuesday, 3 p.m.
No. 9 Desert Christian at No. 1 Scottsdale Prep
GIRLS TENNIS
DIVISION II STATE TOURNAMENT
First-round results
No. 1 Catalina Foothills 5, No. 16 Mesa Skyline 0
No. 3 Salpointe Catholic 5, No. 14 Glendale Cactus 0
No. 5 Rincon/University 6, No. 12 Buckeye Verrado 0
No. 8 Nogales 5, No. 9 Phoenix Country Day 0
No. 7 Page 5, No. 10 Douglas 0
No. 11 Sabino 5, No. 6 Yuma Gila Ridge 2
Second round β Wednesday, 3 p.m., unless noted
No. 8 Nogales at No. 1 Catalina Foothills, Tuesday, 3 p.m.
No. 11 Sabino vs. No. 3 Salpointe Catholic at Tucson Racquet Club
No. 5 Rincon/University at No. 4 Buckeye
DIVISION III STATE TOURNAMENT
First-round results
No. 8 Walden Grove 7, No. 9 Scottsdale Prep 2
No. 7 Benson 5, No. 10 St. David 0
No. 2 Miami 5, No. 15 Tanque Verde 2
Second round β Wednesday, 3 p.m.
No. 8 Walden Grove at No. 1 Safford
BOYS VOLLEYBALL
DIVISION II STATE TOURNAMENT
Brackets come out Wednesday, first round matches scheduled for Saturday at high seed.
TRACK AND FIELD
DIVISION I & II STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS
Day 1: Wednesday, May 4, at Mesa Community College
Day 2: Saturday, May 7, at Mesa Community College
DIVISION III & IV STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS
Day 1: Friday, May 6, at Mesa Community College
Day 2: Saturday, May 7, at Mesa Community College
SAND VOLLEYBALL
DIVISION I STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
Wednesday at Gilbert Mesquite
No. 2 Salpointe Catholic vs. No. 1 Phoenix Xavier, 7 p.m.
