Baseball: 4A South and 3A-1A South notch all-star wins

May 26, 2019 by Les Willsey, AZPreps365


Mesquite's Holden Breeze performed as textbook leadoff hitter for the 4A South in its 13-4 victory over the North on Saturday at Goodyear Ballpark. (Azpreps365 photo)

There's no secret to Holden Breeze's game. The Mesquite shortstop, hitting leadoff all season for the Wildcats, drew the same spot for the 4A South team on Saturday in the 4A Arizona Baseball Coaches Association all-star game.

And as he did for state-runner-up Mesquite he produced for his all-star mates setting the table bigtime. For his prolific effort he earned game-most valuable player honors in the South's 13-4 triumph over the North at Goodyear Ballpark.

Breeze opened the game smoking a first-pitch fastball to left for a single. When the game concluded nearly three hours later he was 2-for-3 at the plate, scored four runs scored, drove in  one, walked and stole a base. Although he didn't get a hit in his other official at-bat, he reached on an error. He contributed to scoring in each of four innings of the first five the South scored in.

Breeze, who batted .473 in 33 games in the recently completed season, led off the third inning with his walk, a frame the South scored four times in to snap a 1-1 tie. Mesquite teammate TJ Clarkson belted a two-run triple to left-center and Saguaro's Clay Randall and Apache Junction's Austin Sample added an RBI each to cap the rally.

The North appeared ready to make a game of it scoring three times in the bottom of the third to pull within 5-4. That, however, was all the scoring the North would do. 

Breeze's one-out triple in the top of the fourth ignited another four-run rally and the South added three more in the fifth for a 12-4 advantage. South pitching did the rest.

Canyon del Oro's Nathan Martinez, Mesquite's Jacob Henderson and Seton Catholic's Luke Bell combined for six shutout innings - two innings of work each in relief of winning pitcher Marco Ozuna (Vista Grande). Ozuna worked the first three innings.

Other South players with multiple-hit games: Saguaro's Kai Inouye (2 -3) and Washington's Jose Contreras. The lone home run of the game was hit by Amphi's Mario Corrales that completed the scoring in the top of the ninth. 

3A-1A SOUTH 11, 3A-1A NORTH 4: The South built an early 9-0 lead and coasted to victory over the North. 

Ray's Anthony Lopez, who entered the game for the South in the fourth inning in the leadoff spot, capped a five-run, fourth inning with the first of his two hits - a two-run double. He added his second hit in the sixth producing his third RBI. Lopez, who led Ray in hitting this season wth a .493 batting average, was chosen the game's most valuable player.

Benson's Jayse Burkett, who started the game in the leadoff spot for the South, was 1 for 3 with a walk and added two RBI giving the South five RBI at that spot in the order.

Six South pitchers combined to limit the North to seven hits and only one of the four runs scored was earned. St. Augustine's Christian Pavolovich was the winning pitcher opening on the mound and providing two scoreless innings. Safford's Justin Sanchez and Patrick Ornelas and  Sahuarita's Trey Meza allowed only one hit and fanned 11 over the final five innings. Sanchez and Meza struck out five each in two innings of work.

Fountain HIlls Jackson Coup was the only North player with two hits and drove in a run.

Ray's Anthony Lopez was 2 for 3 with 3 RBI in helping the 3A-1A South knock off the North in the 3A-1A all-star game at Goodyear Ballpark. (AzPreps365 photo)