Underdog Sahuarita claims 3A crown
No. 11 Sahuarita shocked a number of other softball teams on its way to Tuesday’s title game, where head coach Chris Fanning still had one more surprise in store.
With the game tied, Fanning made a pitching change, bringing in junior Paityn Arrington, who had not pitched for Sahuarita in more than a month.
But behind 31⁄ scoreless innings from Arrington, Sahuarita beat Winslow 10-4 to take the 3A state title at ASU Farrington Stadium.
To reach the tournament, Sahuarita (30-9) first had to win a play-in game. The team did just that, 13-3 over Pusch Ridge in only five innings.
Underdogs throughout the remainder of the tournament, Sahuarita next notched wins over No. 6 Payson and No. 3 Show Low. In the semifinals, Sahuarita knocked out No. 7 Empire, the defending champions, by a score of 14-4.
“It motivated us since we were seeded so low, we were visitors the whole time,” Arrington said. “Everyone kind of looked at us like an underdog, like ‘Oh, they’re a Number 11 seed.’ But we really came out, and I think that we proved that we shouldn’t have been ranked that low, and we proved it to everybody that thought we were an underdog.”
In the title bout, Winslow would get on the scoreboard first. Second baseman Maycee Cunningham doubled, and the next batter, third baseman Jordyn Johnson, sent her home.
From there, the teams would trade leads. Sahuarita scored twice in the second. Winslow would bounce back in the third, taking a 4-2 lead. By the top of the fourth, Sahuarita tied it back up.
In the bottom of the fourth, with two Winslow runners on, Arrington made the switch from right field to the mound, relieving starting pitcher Gracie Meija.
“It was tough,” Fanning said. “Gracie got us to this point, but I had 100 percent confidence in Payton, not only because of what she’s done not only this year, but also her freshman and sophomore years.”
Though Arrington had not pitched in a game in over a month, her focus was less on nerves and more on staying strong for her teammates.
“When I was going in, I knew I had defense behind me, but I also knew I had to have Gracie’s back,” Arrington said. “She got up all the way here, and I could not let her down tonight. ... Going in 4-4, it was a lot of pressure, but I knew I could handle it.
“I love going into situations like that, that’s my biggest thing. I love it. So when he called me in from the outfield, I just knew I was going to love this game by the end of it.”
Even in just 3 1/3 innings, Arrington recorded four strikeouts, relying on her curveball.
“If it wasn’t for Paityn coming in and shutting it down, you never know what would have happened,” Fanning said. “But she came in and got it done.”
A scoreless fifth inning for both teams kept it knotted at 4.
But after going back and forth all game, Sahuarita unloaded in the top of the sixth.
Third baseman Claudia Martinez led off with a single, and the Sahuarita players in the dugout could sense the game shifting in their favor.
“Once we got one person rolling, the