Queen Creek, Casteel continue to climb back out of 6A losers' bracket

Queen Creek, Casteel continue to climb back out of 6A losers' bracket

No. 1-seed Queen Creek and No. 2 Casteel both won must-win games on May 9 to keep their title hopes alive in the 6A baseball tournament.

Queen Creek eliminated Phoenix Brophy Prep 6-3, erasing a 3-0 deficit with Tyke Daniels delivering a three-run homer in the bottom of the fifth inning. Shortstop Dre Ethier knocked in Brophy's first two runs with singles in his first two times at bat.

Diego Armenta hit a solo homer for the Bulldogs. Sophomore Kasen Barricklow got the win for Queen Creek, pitching three innings of relief, giving up two hits and walking none.

"Brophy is really a well-coached team," Queen Creek coach Mikel Moreno said. "We knew we would have to be fundamentally sound and execute at a high level to give ourselves the opportunity to advance."

Queen Creek (27-4) will get another shot against Mesa Red Mountain (22-8) at 4 p.m. on May 12 at Queen Creek, with the winner advancing to the state semifinals.

Red Mountain gave Queen Creek its first loss in the tournament on May 5, a 7-5 decision. Red Mountain dropped into the losers' bracket after a 7-2 loss to defending state champion Tempe Corona del Sol (21-7) on Saturday night.

Casteel wins and faces Sandra Day O'Connor next

Casteel (22-8) will also get a chance to reach the semifinals with a May 12 rematch against Phoenix Sandra Day O'Connor (24-9) at 4 p.m. at Casteel. Casteel eliminated Yuma Kofa, 12-6, on Saturday, behind Jose Bingochea's three hits and four RBIs. He hit a three-run homer in the fourth inning and an RBI single in the sixth. Connor Russell had four hits and three RBIs for the Colts, who had 16 hits.

Casteel used three pitchers, with Nolan Leitner earning the win, giving up three hits and no runs in four innings.

Chandler Hamilton (20-9) rallied to beat No. 10 O'Connor 11-7, behind clutch hitting from Gavin Hamilton, whose bases-loaded triple in the fifth cut O'Connor's lead to 7-4. A sacrifice fly made it 7-5.

Gavin Hamilton was up again with the bases loaded in the sixth. A wild pitch scored a run to make it 7-6. Hamilton walked to load the bases. Catcher Kristopher De Santiago then ripped a two-run single to give the Huskies an 8-7 lead.

A bases-clearing double by Tyler Nelson increased the lead to 11-7.

Hamilton advances to the semifinals on Friday, May 15, at Mesa's Hohokam Stadium, awaiting the Casteel-O'Connor winner.