Yuma Catholic powers past Show Low, heads to 3A State Championship
PHOENIX (KYMA, KECY) - For the third straight year, Yuma Catholic found themselves in the 3A state semifinals. This time, they weren't leaving empty-handed.
The Shamrocks put together a dominant offensive and defensive performance Friday night, defeating Show Low 9-2 to advance to the Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA) 3A State Softball Championship for the first time in program history.
Yuma Catholic jumped on the Cougars early with two runs in the first inning, including an RBI walk from Faith Donley. Senior pitcher Cienna Trujillo set the tone in the circle, striking out the side in the opening frame.
Show Low briefly cut the lead to 2-1 with a solo homer in the second, but the Shamrocks responded in a big way. A six-run fourth inning blew the game wide open, highlighted by clutch hitting from senior Kaylee Reynoso (3-for-4) and a four-RBI night from Alondra Cordova.
Trujillo was lights out the rest of the way, finishing with seven strikeouts, allowing just two hits and one earned run in a complete-game effort.
"We were on fire tonight," Trujillo said. "We knew that we had to come in and just go out. Nothing was going to be easy. We've been in this situation for the past two years and we knew this time wasn't going to be like that again. We wanted to go to states. We’ve been dreaming about this since freshman year."
"Still one more game," said head coach Jarred Lackey. "We've got more work to do, and now we've got to get ready for our toughest opponent of the year on Monday."
The Shamrocks will now face Empire in Monday's 3A state title game.
