Alyssa Aguilar had 10 strikeouts in the win. (Andy Morales/AZPreps365.com)

 

No. 5 Salpointe beat No. 12 Amphitheater 11-0 on Saturday morning to advance to the second round of the 4A state playoffs. The Lancers will travel to No. 4 Sunrise Mountain on Tuesday, May 1 as the state playoffs begins the double-elimination phase.

Freshman Alyssa Aguilar took the circle for the Lancers and she picked up 10 strikeouts while only giving up three hits to the Panthers in the five-inning game. Kristiana Watson collected two of those hits for Amphitheater.

The Lancers broke the game open with 11 runs in the bottom of the third inning with Arizona State commit Yannira Acuna providing the spark with a three-base error to lead the inning off. The Lancers came through with six hits in the inning, including a 2-run double from Malaea Rocha and a 3-run shot from Diana Montano, but all 11 runs were unearned due to early miscues.

Faith Orton picked up the loss for the Panthers with four strikeouts in four innings of work.

Sunrise Mountain survived No. 13 Rio Rico 7-6 to set up the home game against Salpointe and No. 1 Canyon del Oro took care of No. 16 Douglas 8-0 in the other 4A game involving teams from Southern Arizona.

Diana Montano with the 3-run shot. (Andy Morales/AZPreps365,com)