SOFTBALL: CDO beats Ironwood Ridge but Southern Arizona section races still cloudy

April 14, 2015 by Andy Morales, AZPreps365


Randi Longville
(Andy Morales/AZPreps365.com)

26 hits, 17 runs and 11 errors. What else would you expect from two of the top softball programs in the state?

According to a very messy scorebook, Oro Valley Canyon del Oro defeated Oro Valley Ironwood Ridge 10-7 on Tuesday night to make the top of the Division II standings even more crowded.

Based only on games that matter, Tucson Salpointe is the top-ranked D-II team with an 11-1 record in power-rankings games and a 7-0 record in Section VI battles. The Lancers can clinch a section title if the beat Tucson Catalina Foothills (3-8, 2-2) next Monday or if Ironwood Ridge (11-3, 4-2) and Canyon del Oro (9-3, 5-2) both lose before that.

At any rate, Salpointe would have to lose all three of their remaining section games and that is highly unlikely so you can pencil in the Lancers as taking one of the automatic bids from the section.

Marana (9-4, 5-3) and Ironwood Ridge needs Canyon del Oro to lose one more game in order to claim the second and last automatic bid from the section.

Jordyn Binnion led off the top of the first with a solo shot to put CDO up 1-0 and the Dorados padded their lead with three unearned runs to take a 4-0 lead. The Nighthawks would get the runs back in the bottom of the second with four unearned runs of their own.

With two outs, Loriann Olson reached on an error and University of Arizona recruit Merrilee Miller doubled her home. Reina Bondi singled and Annika Baez followed with a homerun to tie things up 4-4.

Arianna Acedo brought Ellessa Bonstrom home in the top of the third on a squeeze bunt to put CDO back up 5-4 but the lead would not last long.

Lexi Adelberg tripled to start off the bottom of the third and MacKenzie Judge sacrificed her home. Alex Rapp doubled and then Olson reached on an error. A throwing error scored Rapp and Olson would score later in the inning to make it 7-5 Ironwood Ridge.

Randi Longville replaced Gillian Shafe in the circle and she induced a double play to get out of the inning. Longville would hold Ironwood Ridge to only two hits the rest of the way.

Meanwhile, the Dorados picked up a run in the fourth after Bonstrom knocked in Carli Campbell. Brenna Griesser brought in Monique Castillo in the top of the fifth to tie the game up at 7-7.

Canyon del Oro loaded the bases twice with no outs in the top of the sixth but only came away with three runs. Campbell singled, Heather Knight doubled and Bonstrom walked to load the bases the first time.

Campbell would score on a passed ball and Kate Klotz (running for Knight) would score on an error on the play. Acedo singled in Bonstrom and then an error and a bunt loaded the bases up again.

Kelly Decker got out of the inning with a strikeout, fielder's choice and a pop up. Canyon del Oro would load the bases again the top of the seventh but a double play erased that threat but the damage was already done and CDO won 10-7 to take over second place in the section.

The win might also push the Dorados into the top eight, giving them a first-round bye in the playoffs.

Tucson Sahuaro (10-1-1, 6-0) is ranked second in Division II and they control Section II which is the other section from Southern Arizona. Vail Cienega (9-2, 5-1), Tucson (9-3, 3-1), Tucson Desert View (8-3, 4-2) and Tucson Sunnyside (6-6, 3-2) are still in the mix for one of the two automatic playoff spots.

In Division III races for teams from Southern Arizona, Tucson Tanque Verde (12-0, 5-0), Vail Empire (8-2, 3-0) and Benson (8-4, 5-0) are battling it out in Section III and there appears to be a four-team race in Section VI between Nogales (7-2, 4-0), Sahuarita (11-2, 5-1), Santa Cruz (8-2, 5-1) and Rio Rico (7-3, 3-1).

Pusch Ridge captured the Section II title in Division IV with their win over Tombstone tonight. Tucson Desert Christian (5-5, 4-1) and Elfrida Valley Union (6-4, 3-1) are now fighting for second place.

Kearny Ray (12-1, 7-0) and San Manuel (10-1, 6-1) along with Superior (7-2, 4-2) are on top of Section VI.