Sabino defeats Winslow for third-straight 3A softball title
Tucson Sabino pitcher Riley Nielson and third baseman Madison FillmanMoreno converged on the third base line, starting down at a slow roller and praying that it would go foul. On the line was Nielson’s third no-hitter of the postseason, this time in Friday’s 3A state championship game against Winslow.
The ball didn’t cooperate, breaking up Nielson’s no-hitter with two outs left. Still, she struck out nine, walked one and allowed just two hits, leading Sabino to its third-straight state title with an 8-0 win.
“Riley is a workhorse and it's incredible to watch her go to battle,” Sabino coach Cydni Cubillas said. “A lot of the girls look up to her because you don't see an emotional reaction and that calms everybody else, including us as a staff sometimes because we get nervous and then you look out there and you see Riley calm as can be so she means a lot to us.”
Cubillas took over from Kyle Howell this past offseason and immediately built an intimidating schedule for the Sabercats.
In the season’s first week, they played 4A Tucson Salpointe Catholic twice and 6A Mesa Mountain View. While Sabino took its lumps in those games, the experiences helped pave the way for its 27-0 finish to the season.
“When we put these girls in positions to compete and they rise to the challenge, it just helps them improve,” Cubillas said. “It just helps them get better.”
Before Friday, Sabino had dominated the 3A playoffs, run-ruling Yuma Catholic and ALA-Gilbert North before beating Tucson Empire, 16-7, in the semi-finals. Amid the offensive explosion, Nielson struggled in that game, allowing her second-most runs in a game this season.
Against Winslow, the senior immediately put the semi-final behind her, striking out three batters around a lone walk.
“I definitely had more control over my pitches,” Nielson said. “I think last game, I was missing high a lot and this game, I was able to effectively move up and down in the zone.”
In the bottom half of the inning, she put Sabino on top, driving a ball to center field to bring Jesamin Aguilar, who had doubled and advanced on a bunt, home with a sacrifice fly.
The Sabercats doubled their lead in the fourth, when junior catcher Gianna Pancost homered to center, emphatically clapping and high-stepping as she rounded second base, knowing her pitcher wouldn’t let a two-run lead slip.
That home run wasn’t Pancost’s only key contribution on the afternoon. Enabled by Cubillas’ trust, she also calls her own pitches, dialing up a gem of a game behind the plate and helping spur Nielson’s success.
“She's a natural student of the game,”
Cubillas said. “So one of the things we introduced was effective velocity. Learning how to call to all different sides of the plate and what it looks like to the batter. So she's really studied that and being able to make those calls. Seeing where they are in the box and then that's how she's able to call her own game. I trust her completely.”
Sabino eventually blew the game open in the sixth inning, scoring six runs on a slew of hard-hit balls that culminated with a two-run homer from Aguilar.
Half an inning later, they met, gloves flying, in front of the pitcher’s circle, unbothered by Nielson’s lost no-hitter. For the third time in the last three completed seasons, the 3A state title was theirs.
“It goes to show the standard of the program,” Cubillas said. “We look at our seniors and where they started as freshmen and where they are now, they've really set the standard.”