Phoenix Xavier’s Tess Casey might have intimidated some teams when she socked a home run on the fourth pitch of Wednesday’s 5A Division I state semifinal softball game. But not Tempe Corona del Sol.
Phoenix Xavier’s Tess Casey might have intimidated some teams when she socked a home run on the fourth pitch of Wednesday’s 5A Division I state semifinal softball game. But not Tempe Corona del Sol.
SLIDESHOW: See the teams in action
The Aztecs continued their red-hot hitting of late as they evened the game in the bottom of the first, grabbed the lead for good in the second and broke the contest open with a seven-run third inning en route to a 13-6 victory at Rose Mofford Softball Complex.
Corona is in the title game for the second time in three years and third time in the last six. The Aztecs (27-8) face Chandler Basha for the championship Friday night at 8:07 at Rose Mofford.
Corona has scored 39 runs in four tournament wins over Mesa Mountain View, Scottsdale Desert Mountain, Sierra Vista Buena and Xavier.
“Our offense is clicking, and we’re expecting to hit well now,” Corona coach Jeep Ray said. “Early in the year we weren’t playing well. We went all the way to the Desert Mountain tournament (in late March) before we played a game without making an error. Offensively and defensively now we’re on the same page.”
Xavier (27-9), which reached the state semifinals for the first time in school history, had beaten CDS 5-0 in early March. But the Aztecs were a different team this time.
Corona sent 11 batters to the plate during their seven-run barrage in the third inning. Desrae Gonzalez hit a two-out, two-run double. Four more hits followed before Ashley Hansen capped the frame with a three-run double.
“We’ve been hitting so well lately,” Hansen said. “We’re very confident. We’ve worked hard to get here. Now we want to finish it.”
