Queen Creek punched its return ticket to the 6A state championship game with another gutsy, methodical playoff victory Friday night.

The top-seeded Bulldogs held off No. 9 Basha, 6-5 in the late semifinal contest at HoHoKam Stadium in Mesa, which sets them up Tuesday night at Diablo Stadium against either Brophy or O'Connor.

Queen Creek (24-7) fell in last season's championship game, 3-1 to Hamilton, and is anxious for another title shot.

"I love this teams and this group," coach Mikel Moreno said afterward. "That was anothe really good win, but the first thing they told me after was 'we're not finished.'"

Much like the Bulldogs 2-1, second round victory over Basha 11 days before, it was substance over style. Queen Creek kept mistakes to a minimum and capitalilzed on Basha's errors.

Two of Queen Creek's runs came via sacrifice hits from Cameron Lopez and Cayden Cooper. Another run came by way of a balk in the fourth inning, allowing Tait Reynolds to score from third base. Later in the inning, Jet Berry scored directly off an infield Basha error.

"We didn't really hit the ball that well tonight, but these kids just find ways to score and win games," Moreno said. "They just work so dang hard."

Sophomore Tait Reynolds is Queen Creek's top college prospect, and he's also patient at the plate. He drew walks in his first two plate appearences, and ended up scoring on both occasions. The first run came in the second inning when Jet Berry lined a triple that allowed Reynolds to score from first base. Jesse Aguire added an RBI off a base hit in the fourth inning.

Dylan Weekly made his third start of the season, and gave up a home run to Basha's lead off hitter Gavin Smith who took it over the left field wall. Carson Agostini drove in a run in the fourth inning for Basha, which trailed 6-2 after five innings, but found new life in the top of the sixth. Gavin Smith drove in his second run with another deep shot into left center field that was caught.

Landon Zaborowski and Cannon Albright added RBI's to make it a one run game (6-5). But Queen Creek closer Drew Abbott was able to cool down the Basha bats in the 7th to preserve the win. Middle reliever Lucas Ferreira picked up the win for Queen Creek.

Basha finished 20-12-1 on the season.

 

O'Connor 2 Brophy 1

No. 2 seed Brophy was one out away from clinching a trip to the 6A championship game.

O'Connor had other plans.

Thanks to a seventh inning rally to send the game into extra innings, O'Connor prevailed, 2-1 in 10 innings. It was Brophy's first loss of the postseason, which means they'll get another shot at O'Connor Saturday afternoon at HoHoKam Stadium. Game time is 4pm. 

Brophy took a 1-0 lead into the seventh inning, but O'Connor mounted a rally, highlighted by junior James Carr's two-out base hit that drove in the tying run. In the top of the 10th inning, O'Connor's Ky McGary was able to score thanks to a Brophy infield error. 

"Our season was on the line so we had to lay it all out there," O'Connor coach Jeff Baumgartner said.

"We got a lot out of our pitching staff today so we'll see what we can come up with tomorrow."

O'Connor reliever Chris Peronace entered the game in the sixth inning and carried the Eagles until closing the door in the bottom of the 10th. 

Brophy's lone run came on a passed ball in the second inning. The Broncos left 17 runners on base. 

Brophy starter Jack Lafflam was nearly flawless in six innings of work, allowing one hit and striking out six batters. 

The Broncos will start ace Johnny Casale against O'Connor for Saturday's elimination game.