Top-seeded Nogales will take on No. 4 Canyon del Oro Wednesday night in an unlikely elimination game in the Class 4A state baseball playoffs. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Amphitheater High School, which is a neutral site for the two Southern Arizona teams.
Salpointe Catholic stunned Nogales 4-2 in Monday's second round; at the same time, CDO fell to Peoria Sunrise Mountain 7-6. The two losses set up a loser's bracket game between two of the area's best baseball programs. The showdown is one of three games featuring local teams on Wednesday. Eighth-seeded Salpointe Catholic will play No. 5 Peoria Sunrise Mountain at 6:30 p.m. at Tempe Diablo Stadium, and second-seeded Catalina Foothills will take on No. 3 Chandler Seton Catholic at Hohokam Stadium in Phoenix.
Here's a look at the high school playoff schedule over the next three days:
Wednesday's games
BASEBALL
Class 4A state playoffs, third round:
No. 8 Salpointe Catholic vs. No. 5 Peoria Sunrise Mountain at Tempe Diablo Stadium, 6:30 p.m.
At stake: The Lancers can advance to the May 9 state semifinals with a victory. Lose, and Salpointe would play the winner of Nogales and CDO on Saturday at Tempe Diablo Stadium.
No. 3 Chandler Seton Catholic vs. No. 2 Catalina Foothills at Hohokam Stadium, 6:30 p.m.
At stake: The Falcons can advance to the May 9 state semifinals with a victory. Lose, and the team would fall to the loser's bracket and play a Saturday elimination game at Tempe Diablo Stadium.
Class 4A state playoffs, loser’s bracket:
No. 4 Canyon del Oro vs. No. 1 Nogales at Amphitheater High School, 6 p.m.
At stake: The winner advances to Saturday's third-round game, held at Tempe Diablo Stadium. The loser is eliminated.
Thursday's games
BASEBALL
Class 5A state playoffs, loser’s bracket:
No. 7 Sierra Vista Buena vs. No. 3 Flowing Wells at Amphitheater High School, 3 p.m.
At stake: The winner advances to Monday's third-round game, held at Tempe Diablo Stadium. The loser is eliminated.
SOFTBALL
Class 6A state playoffs, loser’s bracket:
No. 10 Tucson High vs. No. 3 Phoenix Sandra Day O’Connor at Rose Mofford Softball Complex, 8 p.m.
At stake: The winner advances to Tuesday's third-round game, held at Rose Mofford Softball Complex. The loser is eliminated.
Class 5A state playoffs, third round:
No. 5 Ironwood Ridge vs. No. 4 Scottsdale Chaparral at Rose Mofford Softball Complex, 6 p.m.
At stake: The winner advances to the May 10 state semifinal, played at Rose Mofford Softball Complex. The loser plays in Tuesday's loser's bracket game at Rose Mofford Softball Complex.
No. 7 Buckeye Verrado at No. 3 Cienega at Rose Mofford Softball Complex, 6 p.m.
At stake: The winner advances to the May 10 state semifinal, played at Rose Mofford Softball Complex. The loser plays in Tuesday's loser's bracket game at Rose Mofford Softball Complex.
Class 4A state playoffs, third round:
No. 5 Salpointe Catholic vs. No. 1 Canyon del Oro at Pima College, 4 p.m.
At stake: The winner advances to the May 10 state semifinal, played at Rose Mofford Softball Complex. The loser plays in Tuesday's loser's bracket game at Rose Mofford Softball Complex.
Friday's games
BASEBALL
Class 3A state playoffs, first round:
No. 15 Yuma Catholic vs. No. 1 Sabino at Surprise Sports Complex, 6:30 p.m.
At stake: The winner advances to Saturday's state quarterfinal game, held at Surprise Sports Complex. The loser is eliminated.
No. 9 Safford vs. No. 8 Catalina at Surprise Sports Complex, 4 p.m.
At stake: The winner advances to Saturday's state quarterfinal game, held at Surprise Sports Complex. The loser is eliminated.
No. 12 Empire vs. No. 5 Phoenix Northwest Christian at Surprise Sports Complex, 6:30 p.m.
At stake: The winner advances to Saturday's state quarterfinal game, held at Surprise Sports Complex. The loser is eliminated.
No. 13 Pusch Ridge Christian vs. No. 4 Florence at Surprise Sports Complex, 4 p.m.
At stake: The winner advances to Saturday's state quarterfinal game, held at Surprise Sports Complex. The loser is eliminated.
No. 14 Lakeside Blue Ridge vs. No. 3 Sahuarita at Surprise Sports Complex, 6:30 p.m.
At stake: The winner advances to Saturday's state quarterfinal game, held at Surprise Sports Complex. The loser is eliminated.
SOFTBALL
Class 3A state quarterfinals:
No. 11 Sahuarita vs. No. 3 Show Low at Rose Mofford Sports Complex, 8 p.m.
At stake: The winner advances to Saturday's state semifinal, held at Rose Mofford Softball Complex. The loser is eliminated.
No. 7 Empire vs. No. 2 Queen Creek Casteel at Rose Mofford Sports Complex, 8 p.m.
At stake: The winner advances to Saturday's state semifinal, held at Rose Mofford Softball Complex. The loser is eliminated.
