After two innings, St. David was in control and looking at an easy victory in the 1A baseball state championship game. By the end, the Tigers were elated to escape Tempe Diablo Stadium with a 9-8 victory to bring an astonishing 18th title back to the school.

Ray gave it everything it had as this almost became one of the most unbelievable comebacks in the history of the AIA championships. But when St. David catcher Talon Haynie squeezed the ball in his glove after a strikeout to end the game, the Tiger faithful could finally exhale. Then celebrate.

The game was filled with a litany of interesting and confusing plays, team meetings, misplays in the field and unforeseen base hits. It was also an emotional one. When Ray started making its comeback, both teams and their fans were on the edge of their seats.

“They make it hard on an old coach,” St. David skipper Ron Goodman said. “But this is the hardest working team you’ll find in the state of Arizona. These guys came out and gave it everything they’ve got. They worked so dang hard and I’m so proud of them.”

The game was all St. David early. The first seven batters hit safely and chased Bearcats starter Jack Warren. Most of the balls weren’t hit hard, but they found their spots. The big blow was a bases-loaded triple by Jacob Goodman to put St. David up 6-0. Two batters later Devin Deskins hit into a fielder’s choice allowing Goodman to score and cap the damage in the opening frame.

“We had a ton of practice throughout the week. Practicing hitting curveballs. They threw curveballs so we were able to get down on that,” Jacob Goodman said. “For me personally, during warmups, I saw (Warren) throwing breaking balls. I was like, ‘alright, that’s what I’m going to hit’.” I sat on them and crushed them.”

Eleven batters went to the plate in the bottom of the first and the Tigers were on their way. For good measure they added another run on a fielder’s choice in the second and it was 8-0 at that point.

Then Ray’s bats came alive.

Alex Bravo led off the top of the third with a double down the left field line, moved to third on a groundout and scored on an error when Derek Figueroa, who walked, stole second and forced an errant throw on the play. Johnavon Pace then singled home Figueroa, and Mark Rodriguez drilled a double to left plating two more. All of a sudden the huge St. David lead was cut in half at 8-4.

The Bearcats were not done. After holding St. David to a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the third, Pace delivered again in the top of the fourth with a single to drive in Tracon Naranjo. Figueroa, who walked again in front of Pace and standing on third, scored on a bad throw by Kason Jacquez at first trying to pick off Naranjo heading for second. All of this after the inning started with two out and none on.

Now it was 8-6 and Ray had all the momentum. That carried over into the top of the sixth when Pace reached on a two-out walk. Warren singled to right center which was misplayed by right fielder Braden Merill and Pace tried to score all the way from first. But he was cut down at the plate to preserve the two-run lead for the Tigers.

The Tigers took advantage with starting pitcher-turned-center fielder Larson leading off the home half of the sixth by getting hit by a pitch, one of four on the night combined between both squads, advancing to second on a balk, and scoring on Jacquez’s single to right.

That ninth run proved to be pivotal as the Bearcats were not done.

Rodriguez led off the seventh by reaching on a fielding error by Deskins at third. One out later Cody Hickingbottom singled to left center putting two on. Friday’s semifinal hero Hunter Day reached on a fielder’s choice forcing Hickingbottom at second and putting runners on the corners with two outs. Bravo popped one up on the outfield grass behind shortstop that should have ended the game, but Larson slipped on the play and ball fell safely onto the field allowing Rodriguez to score. With runners on the corners again, the Bearcats tried a double steal. Haynie was not fooled behind the plate and had Day hung up off third base. However, Haynie’s throw was too low for Deskins to handle and Day raced home to make it a 9-8 game.

Alas, there was no more magic left for Ray. Naranjo whiffed on a 1-2 pitch and the celebration was finally on about two hours and 45 minutes after the contest got underway. Seventeen runs, 21 hits and one of the most interesting games there ever was.

Jacob Goodman noted, “There were a lot of misreads and our nerves getting to us. But we were able to catch the ones that really mattered.”

Goodman finished with two hits and four RBI, and would have had another knocked in if his single up the middle in the bottom of the sixth didn’t hit the umpire in the field. It would have scored Merill from second had the ball gone through to the outfield. Larson, Vasquez, Merill and Logan Davis all reached base three times.

Larson added 3.1 innings pitched and allowed six runs. Ryan Gooding pitched the last 3.2 innings to preserve the victory.

Ray was led by Rodriguez who had two hits and reached on an error to go along with his two RBI and a run scored. Pace scored three times after getting on base with two singles and a walk.

Coach Goodman added, “We started out slow (this season). But I told this group of seniors before we started that our motto this year was outwork your talent. And I think they did.”