Final AIA rankings set the stage for state play-in round on the baseball and softball diamond
Four local teams reach play-in, both Yuma Catholic squads earns automatic bid to 3A tournament
YUMA, Ariz., (KYMA, KECY) - The clock has run out on the regular season and the stage has been set for the state play-in round on the diamond in Arizona.
After a several month grind, several local teams now know where they have landed in the final AIA rankings. Most of them will be headed off to win-or-go-home scenarios on the road, while a pair of teams from the same campus earned the automatic bid to the 16-team bracket and will get at least one home game.
For all the play-in teams, a win would send them to their respective 16-team state tournament bracket for a shot at a state title.
BASEBALL
6A
Beginning in 6A baseball, the San Luis Sidewinders fell just one slot short of hosting the play-in game. Cesar Castillo's group earned the No. 17 seed and will head to Red Mountain on Wednesday. The Sidewinders ended the season on a five-game win streak after sweeping Cibola in the Desert Southwest Region on Monday.
#17 San Luis @ #16 Red Mountain - Wednesday, 4:00 pm
3A
Yuma Catholic pulled out another 20-win season, locking up an automatic bid to the 3A state tournament as one of the top eight teams in the conference. Their official rank will not be revealed until Thursday morning, but what is known is that they will have a home game coming up next Tuesday as they try to maneuver their way back to the state title game.
Yuma Catholic vs TBD - Tuesday, May 2 - 4:00 pm
SOFTBALL
3A
The same goes for the Lady Shamrocks who locked up an automatic bid to the 3A state tournament after a 17-1 regular season and going perfect in the 3A west region. They too will play at home for a team to be announced Thursday after the dust settles in the play-in round Wednesday.
Yuma Catholic vs TBD - Tuesday, May 2 - 4:00 pm
6A
To the black and gold, the Cibola Lady Raiders just like San Luis reeled in the No. 17 seed, just missing a home play-in game. The 17 spot will send them on the road to Xavier Prep on Wednesday afternoon - a team they lost to in the first round of the state playoffs two seasons ago. This is the eighth straight season the Raiders have made a state appearance.
#17 Cibola at #16 Xavier Prep - Wednesday, 4:00 pm
Staying in 6A and soaring in are the Gila Ridge Lady Hawks as the No. 22 seed for their seventh consecutive state appearance as a program. The Lady Hawks will travel to No. 11 Sunnyslope Wednesday afternoon. The Hawks won 14 games, including a big six-game win streak down the stretch to get themselves into the bubble.
#22 Gila Ridge @ #11 Sunnyslope - Wednesday, 4:00 pm
5A
And last but not least, the Lady Kings in crimson and white made a late push to seal their fate in the state for the first time since 2016. In the final ranking, Kofa moved all the way up to No. 19, which sends them on the road to No. 14 Verrado in the 5A play-in round.
#19 Kofa @ #14 Verrado - Wednesday, 4:00 pm
It was a tough pill to swallow for Kofa baseball - who finished ranked just on the outside looking in at No. 28 in 5A baseball despite winning the 5A Central Valley Region title.
Also a tough blow for the Yuma Criminals baseball squad who missed the cut in 4A after hanging around the bubble for the last several weeks of the season.
