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Superior Panthers
The Superior baseball team split four games during last week’s annual Joe S. Padilla Tournament, including a shut-out win against Thatcher last Thursday. The Panthers also defeated San Tan Foothills, but suffered a heartbreaking one-run loss to tourney co-host Combs in addition to a 7 – 5 loss against versus Apache Junction.
Following a 6 – 5 loss last Wednesday to Combs, in which the Coyotes scored four runs in their last at-bat to erase a three-run Panthers’ lead, Superior bounced back to post a 5 – 0 win against Thatcher.
Sophomore starter Kale Major allowed only one hit in four innings of work versus the Eagles. He surrendered three walks and eight strikeouts in earning his second win of the year while lowering his ERA to a paltry 1.56. Senior Nicolaus Cruz pitched a hitless and scoreless inning in relief.
Junior Marcos Bueno, who is hitting .538 in the early season, was 2-for-2 with a double and two RBI in the win. Austin Navarrette had a hit and an RBI. Edgar Galindo, a senior, walked twice and scored two runs.
Andrew Luberda began writing for Copper Area News Publishers (CANP) in February 2013 after working 15 years in Healthcare Financial Management. Andy covers sports for 11 high schools. His stories are published in Copper Basin News, San Manuel Miner and Superior Sun, in addition to the San Tan Valley Daily PRSS and CopperArea websites. Additionally, he has written human interest stories and business profiles. In May 2012, he earned an AAS in Sports Management at Central Arizona College before graduating with a BS in Communication from Arizona State University in 2014. He and his wife, Kelli, have three sons – AJ, Kyle, and Kade.
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