Sandoval saves the day as Tucson tops Ricon/University in extra innings

Romy Sandoval was the last senior recognized during Tucson High’s postgame senior night festivities but she started the celebration off on a high note.

Sandoval hit a walk-off RBI single to lift Tucson’s softball team past Rincon/University for a 4-3 win in nine innings on the final night of the regular season, helping the eighth-ranked Badgers likely lock up a first-round bye in the upcoming Division II state tournament.

“I think it’s pretty huge, we’ve never done this,” Tucson softball coach Danielle Rodriguez said. “Season by season we’ve gotten better and made it into the tournament; I think this is just the next step.”

Rincon was No. 22 in the rankings going into Wednesday’s game but missed a chance to solidify its résumé for 24-team tournament, after taking the lead on a throwing error in the top of the ninth inning. Playoff brackets come out Thursday afternoon.

“I remember my freshman year, when we were playing our last game against Desert View just to try and make playoffs and we slowly progressed every single year,” Sandoval said. “We’ve come so much farther and I couldn’t be happier.”

Tucson’s tying run in the ninth came on error. Sandoval was 1-for-4 going into the at-bat. Her only other hit came in the first inning.

“I was struggling throughout the game but I heard my dad chirping in the back,” Sandoval said. “He was telling me to focus, I was just trying to take that all in and take everything, take the adrenaline, slow the ball down, slow it down in my mind and I just wanted a base hit.”

Tucson jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning on an RBI double by freshman infielder Alyssa Trejo. Her sister, junior pitcher Mia Trejo, also hit a double and got the win in circle, giving up three hits.

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The Badgers went up 2-0 on an RBI double by Alyssa Carpio in the fourth. She went 4-for-4.

Rincon loaded the bases with no outs in the fourth and then the fifth but only managed to bring across two runs, tying the game.

“You have to stay calm for everyone else more than yourself,” Mia Trejo said. “I’ve been in those situations many times before, especially pitching for eight, nine years.”

Rodriguez said the Badgers need to take advantage of these extra practice days before they likely host a second-round game on Tuesday. The first round is Saturday morning but the top eight seeds receive a bye.

“I have told them from the beginning that there is no reason why we shouldn’t have a state title at the end of the year,” Rodriguez said. “All the teams that we’ve lost to, that are up in the top of the seedings, they’ve been close games. We just have to come out strong and we can do it.”

Eight or nine Southern Arizona teams are expected to qualify for the Division II state playoffs. There were five Tucson teams in the top ten in the final rankings, with Canyon del Oro, Ironwood Ridge and Sahuaro making up the top three.

Tucson advanced to the double-elimination stage last season as the No. 12 seed. But the Badgers lost to Cienega, the eventual state champion, before falling to Goodyear Desert Edge in the fourth round.

“We just need to play with all our hearts, will all our souls, we got to play with passion and we can do it,” Sandoval said. “I have complete faith that we can do it.”