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The baseball and softball state playoffs will begin on Friday, Apr. 29 at sports complexes and stadiums throughout the state.
Ray and Superior High Schools will have both their baseball and softball teams vying for a state title while San Manuel and Hayden are also sending their softball teams to the playoffs with their own championship aspirations.
Top-seeded Ray and No. 3-seed Superior are the odds-on favorites to compete for the Division V Softball State Championship, which will take place on May 10 at Farrington Stadium on the Arizona State University campus.
Lady Panthers’ head coach Martin Navarrette knows his team is the hunted, not the hunter like last year, as it attempts to win back-to-back championships.
“After winning it last year we’re definitely going to have a target on our back,” Navarrette said Thursday night after attending the Superior Jr. High Sports Awards Banquet. “We just have to go in with a chip on our shoulder, just like last year. We were a No. 5-seed last year and took it all, so regardless of where we’re at it doesn’t matter. It just comes down to us playing our best ball at playoff time and see what happens.”
The Lady Panthers’ head coach is counting on his team’s experience from a year ago to be beneficial this year.
“The experience is going to be great,” he said. “It’s something that’s going to be needed and something the girls can depend on to calm their nerves.”
Below is the schedule for each local area team with game dates, times, locations, and opponents for this weekend.
RAY
Baseball – The No. 9-seeded Bearcats will face No. 24 Tombstone at the Tempe Diablo Complex on Friday, Apr. 29 at 6:30 p.m. With a win, the Cats would play No. 8 Williams at the Maryvale Baseball Complex on Saturday, Apr. 30 at 1 p.m.
Softball – The top-seeded Lady Cats have a first-round bye and will take on the winner between San Tan Foothills and Bagdad at the Rose Mofford Sports Complex on Saturday, Apr. 30 at 9:30 a.m. A win Saturday places Ray in the quarterfinals on May 6 at Rose Mofford.
SUPERIOR
Baseball – The No. 7-seeded Panthers have a first-round and will play either Valley (Sanders) or Valley Union at the Maryvale Baseball Complex on Saturday, Apr. 30 at 1 p.m. With a win, the Panthers would reach the quarterfinals on May 6 at the Tempe Diablo Complex.
Softball – The No. 3-seeded and defending State Champion Lady Panthers earned a first-round bye and will await the winner between Ganado and Antelope Union. The second round game will take place at the Rose Mofford Sports Complex on Saturday, Apr. 30 at 9:30 a.m. With a win, Superior will reach the quarterfinals on May 6 at Rose Mofford.
HAYDEN
Softball – The No. 5-seeded Lady Lobos earned a first-round bye and will play the winner between Bisbee and Mayer at the Rose Mofford Sports Complex on Saturday, Apr. 30 at 9:30 a.m. With a win, Hayden will reach the quarterfinals on May 6 at Rose Mofford.
SAN MANUEL
Softball – The third-seeded Lady Miners have a first-round bye and will start their Division IV playoff run against the winner between Pusch Ridge and Willcox at the Rose Mofford Sports Complex on Saturday, Apr. 30 at 1:30 p.m. With a win, San Manuel will reach the quarterfinals on May 6 at Rose Mofford.
Visit http://www.azpreps365.com/ for a complete look at the playoff brackets.
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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