Superior upsets No. 1 seed to advance to final

May 9, 2015 by Jose Garcia, AZPreps365


Superior used Phalicitee Thomas’ trip around the bases after a dropped fly ball and Ivey Lopez’ three-hit shutout to defeat No. 1 seed Veritas Prep 1-0 in the Division IV state semifinals at Rose Mofford Softball Complex.

Thomas’ sprinted out of the batter’s box after leading off the second inning with a fly ball and didn’t stop after the error and relay home from Veritas Prep. That play and one hit was all Superior could muster off sophomore Lainey Stephenson, who struck out 16 Saturday and allowed just one hit.

“I’m proud,” said Thomas about the run she scored. “Even if I didn’t score I know one of my teammates would have pulled through for us.”

Lopez threw 92 pitches and gave up three hits during

her complete game three-hit performance.

“It’s amazing,” said Lopez about reaching the championship game, the first state title game appearance for Superior since 2007.

It’ll face two-time defending champ San Manuel, which upended Arizona Lutheran 6-1 in the other semifinal, in Monday’s D-IV championship game at Arizona State’s Farrington Softball Complex.

Paulson continues to deliver

Payson’s Arissa Paulson continued her MVP-type season, hitting a walk off homer in the bottom of the 8th to defeat defending Division III champ Winslow 4-3 in the state semifinals.

It was Paulson’s second homer of the game, and she also pitched her team to victory. Payson, the No. 1 seed, will face No. 6 seed Empire on Monday in the D-III final at Farrington Softball Complex.

Empire defeated Nogales 3-2 in its semifinal.

Desert Edge stays alive thanks to walks-off homer  

Ari Samaniego hit an 8th inning three-run walk-off home run in a Division II elimination softball game, allowing Desert Edge to drop Tucson 6-3.

Samaneigo picked the right time for the first hit of the game and team-high 15th home run of the season.

“I had to do this for my team,” Samaniego said.

Tucson used back-to-back home runs by pitcher Mia Trejo and Romy Sandoval in the fourth inning to go ahead 3-2, but Desert Edge’s starting pitcher, Sydney McLeod, allowed only one hit during her final three innings of work.

Ambria Dorsey picked up the save for Desert Edge.

(Desert Edge's Ari Samaniego)

Brackets

Click here to view the scores of Saturday’s softball scores and schedules for Division I.

For D-II, go here.

For D-III, go here.

For D-IV, go here.