3A State Quarterfinals

No. 7 Empire and No. 11 Tanque Verde both clinched their spots in the 3A softball semifinals after winning their respective quarterfinal games on the road on Wednesday. They will face off on Friday at 7 p.m. at Amphi High School.

Empire 3, Bourgade Catholic 2

Empire’s ace, Kendall Freidlinger, was nearly untouchable, allowing only two hits while striking out 13 batters and walking just one in her complete-game performance. However, her team trailed 2-0 heading into the fifth inning.

Empire’s comeback began with Abby Zsitvay’s leadoff double. She then advanced to third on a passed ball, allowing Eva Peace to bring her home with a sacrifice fly to center field, narrowing the deficit to 2-1. The tying run came later in the inning when Angelina Dehler, who had reached on a walk, scored on an error.

The Ravens completed the comeback in the seventh inning. Callista Drawbaugh led off with a single, then Peace delivered the game-winning RBI single with two outs, scoring Drawbaugh to make it 3-2. Peace, Drawbaugh, and Freidlinger each had two hits.

Tanque Verde 10, Snowflake 2

Tanque Verde pulled off a significant upset by defeating Snowflake, thanks to strong hitting and pitching performances. Paige Hammarstrom set the pace at the top of the order, going 3 for 4 with a double, two runs scored, and an RBI. Reliever Claire Achilles pitched the final 4 1/3 innings, allowing just one hit.

The Hawks were down 2-1 before erupting for five runs in the fifth inning. Hammarstrom’s double set the stage for a two-run single by Lizzy Pratt, who would finish the game with two RBIs. Achilles, who also played in right field, contributed with two hits, including a double, and three RBIs. Cassidy Jones added two RBIs of her own.

6A Second Round

Xavier 10, Sunnyside 0 (6 innings)
Sunnyside struggled to generate offense, managing just one hit, a single by Tatyana Vega. Xavier, the No. 4 seed, ended the game early with a dominant 10-0 win in six innings. Sunnyside will try to bounce back in an elimination-bracket game on Thursday against No. 1 Mesa Red Mountain, which defeated Surprise Shadow Ridge 6-1 on Tuesday. Red Mountain previously lost 4-1 to No. 16 Tempe Corona del Sol in the opening round.

1A Quarterfinals

St. David 9, San Manuel 4
St. David punched their ticket to the semifinals with a 9-4 win over San Manuel. Pitcher Paisley Gooding struck out 11 batters, allowing five hits and two earned runs in a complete-game effort. The Jacquez sisters, Emelynn and Anissa, provided the offensive firepower. Emelynn was 3 for 4 with a home run, two runs scored, and three RBIs, while Anissa was 2 for 4 with a run and two RBIs. St. David will play No. 1 Bagdad in the semifinals on Friday at Phoenix’s Papago Softball Complex at 4 p.m.

Williams 7, Desert Christian 3

Desert Christian’s Alexa Yarger hit a home run and went 2 for 3 with two RBIs, but her efforts weren’t enough to overcome Williams. The No. 3 seed scored seven runs to secure their spot in the semifinals.