The Salpointe Catholic High School softball held off a potential new rival in Mica Mountain to earn a date with traditional rival Canyon del Oro with a state championship at stake.
The fourth-seeded Lancers (30-4) fell 4-2 to MM in the first Class 4A state semifinal on Thursday at Amphitheater but beat the No. 7-seeded Thunderbolts 10-1 in the second semifinal.
No. 4 Salpointe will face No. 3 Canyon del Oro (33-2), which won its 18th straight game Thursday to reach the final, Saturday at 7 p.m. With two Tucson-area teams competing against each other for the trophy, the Arizona Interscholastic Association made the call to move the state title game to Hillenbrand Stadium on the UA campus.
“I think the rivalry with CDO has existed since I played at Salpointe back in the ’90s, and it continues every day,” Salpointe head coach Tricia Sztan said. “I love to think of it being an old-school Arizona rivalry that’s been around for a really long time.
Salpointe Catholic shortstop Anyssa Wild (9) just manages to get the tag on Mica Mountain's Shaylee Fuell (4) after she over slid into second in the third inning of the teams' 4A state softball playoff game Thursday at Amphi High School.
“We’re excited to play them; I’m sure they’re excited to play us and we’ll let the game decide.”
Salpointe Catholic’s Alma Garcia (17) is pumped after scoring on an RBI double from teammate Jaelyn Castillo to put the Lancers up 2-0 over Mica Mountain in the fifth inning of game two in their state 4A softball semifinal doubleheader Thursday at Amphi High School.
CDO is second in Arizona all-time (all conferences) with nine state championships, though Salpointe is tied for first with five consecutive state titles (the 2020 tournament was canceled) and has won seven total. It’s CDO’s 14th state championship game appearance and Salpointe’s 11th.
“They’re close games. It’s personal. We know that we’re some of the best teams in Southern Arizona — I mean even in the state — so it’s always a good game,” Salpointe junior Izzy Soto said. “It’s always fun.”
Over the last 17 seasons — that’s 2007-08, known as the Max Preps Era — the series between CDO and Salpointe is tied 16-16. The Dorados are 3-0 against the Lancers this year, winning 3-0 in February, and 4-3 and 4-0 in April.
In the championship game, Salpointe will have to face another daunting ace. Canyon del Oro junior Amelia Streuber led the Dorados to the championship game, being one pitch away from a perfect game against top-seeded Mesa Eastmark in a 1-0 win on Thursday in Phoenix.
The Salpointe Catholic bench rushes the circle after clinching a spot in the 4A state softball finals with a 10-1 win against Mica Mountain Thursday night at Amphi High School.
Streuber struck out 18 in seven innings, giving up a double as Eastmark’s lone hit.
“At first I thought it was a home run. I was like ‘oh crap’ — I was like ‘oh no,” Streuber told AIA365.com. “But then we kept her at second and I knew it was gonna be OK. I just had to really trust my spin on the ball and it worked out.”
Last year, the Lancers beat Phoenix Greenway pitcher Kaitlyn Terry, who is 17-1 at UCLA this season as of press time, in the state championship game. Streuber is committed to Oregon State.
CDO freshman utility Jacey Mazura scored the run on an error after walking and stealing second.
The Dorados finished off Eastmark, who Salpointe knocked into the loser’s bracket, to set up the rematch of old rivals at Hillenbrand Stadium.
“We’re all really excited,” Streuber said. “This was a great win and we’re excited to get back to the championship, especially playing in Tucson.”
It’s the fifth straight season the 4A state championship game has been played at the UA, including a 10-7 Salpointe win over CDO in 2022.
“Incredible; it’s incredible; yes, it’s incredible,” Sztan said of playing the title game at the UA again.
“It’s so amazing, I feel like that’s almost like our home field at this point being able to play there so many times in the past. It’s exciting,” Soto said.
Mica Mountain (22-9) won the first semifinal thanks to a four-run first where sophomore left fielder Violet Suarez hit a double that drove in three runs; she later scored on an error.
Led by Soto’s three RBIs on two doubles, junior Molli Daley’s home run and two RBIs and senior Jordan Goedel knocking in two runs, Salpointe won the second game. The Lancers pulled away in the sixth with seven runs.
Mica Mountain head coach Steve Garcia said the season was “absolutely great” for a four-year-old school. It’s MM’s second season playing a full varsity schedule.
“The one thing that we preach at Mica Mountain is believing. Believe in your players, believe in your coaches, believe in each other and believe yourself,” Garcia said.
Extra bases
If CDO softball wins the state championship, it could be the start of a double for the Dorados.
Canyon del Oro’s third-seeded baseball team faces No. 1 Scottsdale Saguaro Monday night at 7 p.m. at Tempe Diablo Stadium. CDO has won two straight baseball state championships and 10 total.
Mica Mountain’s sister schools in the Vail School District have gone deep in their state tournaments too.
No. 7 seed Empire faces top seed Chandler in the 3A state championship game on Saturday night at ASU and No. 5 seeded Cienega reached the quarterfinals of the 5A tournament.
High school softball: Salpointe Catholic's Jaelyn Castillo knocks a run in for the Lancers during their double-header matchup with Mica Mountain on Thursday, May 9, 2024, in Tucson. Mica Mountain won the first semifinal matchup of the day, but Salpointe took the second, with the Lancers advancing to the Arizona Class 4A state championship game. (James Kelley/Arizona Daily Star)
High school softball: Salpointe Catholic's Izzy Soto makes a diving catch the Lancers' double-header matchup with Mica Mountain on Thursday, May 9, 2024, in Tucson. Mica Mountain won the first semifinal matchup of the day, but Salpointe took the second, with the Lancers advancing to the Arizona Class 4A state championship game. (James Kelley/Arizona Daily Star)
High school softball: Mica Mountain's Mia Garcia knocks in a run for the Thunderbolts during their double-header matchup with Salpointe Catholic on Thursday, May 9, 2024, in Tucson. Mica Mountain won the first semifinal matchup of the day, but Salpointe took the second, with the Lancers advancing to the Arizona Class 4A state championship game. (James Kelley/Arizona Daily Star)
High school softball: Salpointe Catholic's Alma Garcia knocks a run in for the Lancers during their double-header matchup with Mica Mountain on Thursday, May 9, 2024, in Tucson. Mica Mountain won the first semifinal matchup of the day, but Salpointe took the second, with the Lancers advancing to the Arizona Class 4A state championship game. (James Kelley/Arizona Daily Star)
Photos: Salpointe gets past Mica Mountain in the state 4A softball semifinals
The Salpointe bench rushes the circle after clinching a spot in the 4A state softball finals with a 10-1 win against Mica Mountain at Amphi High School, May 9, 2024, Tucson, Az.
Salpointe's Alma Garcia (17) is pumped after scoring on an RBI double from teammate Jaelyn Castillo (10) to go up 2-0 over Mica Mountain in the fifth inning of game two in their state 4A softball semifinal at Amphi High School, May 9, 2024, Tucson, Az. The Lancers rolled late in a 10-1 win over the Thunderbolts and will face Canyon del Oro for the state title.
Salpointe's Anyssa Wild (9) can’t handle the wicked hop on a smash by Mica Mountain's Shaylee Fuell (4) in the first inning of their second game in state 4A softball playoff semifinals at Amphi High School, May 9, 2024, Tucson, Az.
Mica Mountain's Shaylee Fuell (4) gets a wicked hopper by Salpointe's Alma Garcia (17) for the second out in the first inning of their state 4A softball playoff game at Amphi High School, May 9, 2024, Tucson, Az.
Mica Mountain's second baseman Bibiana Tanori (3) has to use every inch to snare a liner from Salpointe's Izzy Soto (20) in the second inning of game two in their state 4A softball playoff semifinal at Amphi High School, May 9, 2024, Tucson, Az.
Salpointe's shortstop Anyssa Wild (9) puts the tag on Mica Mountain's Violet Redondo (22) on a stolen base attempt in the third inning of their state 4A softball playoff semifinal game at Amphi High School, May 9, 2024, Tucson, Az.
Salpointe's Alma Garcia (17) reaches a shot in the hole from Mica Mountain's Violet Suarez (11) that ended up a hit in the fifth inning of their state 4A softball playoff game at Amphi High School, May 9, 2024, Tucson, Az.
Mica Mountain's Rylie Grabau (2) watches a bunt from Salpointe's Anyssa Wild (9) just trickle foul in the fourth inning of their state 4A softball playoff game at Amphi High School, May 9, 2024, Tucson, Az.
Salpointe's bench celebrates Izzy Soto’s (20) RBI double that opened the scoring during the fourth inning of their game two of the state 4A softball semifinals at Amphi High School, May 9, 2024, Tucson, Az.
Mica Mountain's shortstop Shaylee Fuell (4) just manages to hold onto the pop fly by Salpointe's Molli Daley (2) in their state 4A softball semifinal game at Amphi High School, May 9, 2024, Tucson, Az.
Salpointe's Alma Garcia (17) slips by Mica Mountain's catcher Rylie Grabau (2) in the fifth inning of their second game in the state 4A softball playoff semis at Amphi High School, May 9, 2024, Tucson, Az.
Salpointe's shortstop Leylani Cuesta (19) gets the throw late as Mica Mountain's Shaylee Fuell (4) swipes second in the sixth inning of the state 4A softball playoff game at Amphi High School, May 9, 2024, Tucson, Az.
Salpointe's Molli Daley (2) comes home on her lead-off dinger that gave the Lancers a 4-2 lead in the sixth against Mica Mountain in their state 4A softball semifinal game at Amphi High School, May 9, 2024, Tucson, Az.
Mica Mountain's third baseman Mia Garcia (6) leaps to snare a hopper down the line by Salpointe's Brooke Wild (30) in the sixth inning of their state 4A softball playoff game at Amphi High School, May 9, 2024, Tucson, Az.
Salpointe's Isabel Otero (32) gets her high-five from head coach Tricia Sztan on her solo homer against Mica Mountain in the sixth inning of their state 4A softball playoff game at Amphi High School, May 9, 2024, Tucson, Az.
Mica Mountain's Violet Suarez (11) lets go a yell after scoring on an error during her steal of third in the first inning against Salpointe.in game one of the state 4A softball playoffs at Amphi High School, May 9, 2024, Tucson, Az.
Salpointe's shortstop Anyssa Wild (9) just manages to get the tag on Mica Mountain's Shaylee Fuell (4) after she over slid second in the third inning of their state 4A softball playoff game at Amphi High School, May 9, 2024, Tucson, Az.
Mica Mountain's second baseman Bibiana Tanori (3) loses the handle on a pop-up by Salpointe's Brooke Wild (30) in the third inning of their first game in the state 4A softball playoff semis at Amphi High School, May 9, 2024, Tucson, Az.
Salpointe's Carsyn O’Daniels (61) goes a long way to track down a slicing hit to right field by Mica Mountain's Dezerre Lopez Taylor (10) in the fourth inning of their state 4A softball playoff game at Amphi High School, May 9, 2024, Tucson, Az.
Mica Mountain's third baseman Mia Garcia (6) loses the grip on a dribbler down the line by Salpointe's Jaelyn Castillo (10) that drove in a run in their state 4A softball playoff game at Amphi High School, May 9, 2024, Tucson, Az.
Salpointe's Soli Ramos (6) just beats the tag from Mica Mountain's catcher Rylie Grabau (2) during the first game in their state 4A softball playoff semifinal at Amphi High School, May 9, 2024, Tucson, Az.
Mica Mountain's shortstop Shaylee Fuell (4) tags Salpointe's Alma Garcia (17) and end a bases loaded threat in the fifth inning of their state 4A softball playoff game at Amphi High School, May 9, 2024, Tucson, Az.
Salpointe's Taiya Texiera (13) chases down a drive into the right field game from Mica Mountain's Mia Garcia (6) in the sixth inning of their state 4A softball playoff semifinal game at Amphi High School, May 9, 2024, Tucson, Az.
Mica Mountain's shortstop Shaylee Fuell (4) just manages to get a touch on Salpointe's Molli Daley (2) on a stolen base attempt in the sixth inning of their state 4A softball playoff game at Amphi High School, May 9, 2024, Tucson, Az.
Mica Mountain's head coach Steve Garcia gives pitcherAcelynn-Rose Heston (7) a last second pep-talk as the Thunderbolts head out to defend their slim lead in the bottom of the seventh inning against Salpointe during the state 4A softball playoff semifinals at Amphi High School, May 9, 2024, Tucson, Az.
Mica Mountain's second baseman Bibiana Tanori (3) gets set to glove a chopper by Salpointe's Taiya Texiera (13) in the seventh inning of their state 4A softball playoff game at Amphi High School, May 9, 2024, Tucson, Az.
Mica Mountain's shortstop Shaylee Fuell (4) grabs the liner hit smack at her by Salpointe's Alma Garcia (17) in the seventh inning of their state 4A softball playoff game at Amphi High School, May 9, 2024, Tucson, Az.
Mica Mountain's Acelynn-Rose Heston (7) celebrates after the Thunderbolts got the third out to force a second game with a 4-2 win over Salpointe in the state 4A softball playoffs at Amphi High School, May 9, 2024, Tucson, Az.
