Rams softball dominates at home; baseball falls in Gilbert

Maricopa High School softball hosted and won the Krystin Diehl Softball Tournament over the weekend with teams from across the state in attendance.

The Rams (5-3) invited Page High School, Camelback High from Phoenix and Florence High School in Pool A. Carl Hayden High from Phoenix, Higley High, Holbrook High and La Joya Community from Avondale were in the opposing pool.

The tournament honors former Maricopa High softball player and sophomore class president who was killed in an auto accident in 2006.

The first game of the tournament on Thursday night saw junior Isabel McCloskey hit the Rams first home run of the season as Maricopa went on to run-rule Camelback High School.

The ladies hosted a doubleheader on Friday and handily defeated Page High in the early game 14-3. The late game against Florence High was highlighted by Madison Byrd’s grand slam home run as the Rams went on to another run-rule victory.

The three double-digit victories enabled the Rams to a berth in the Championship Game on Saturday night vs. La Joya Community High School. The Rams and Fighting Lobos met previously in the Sun Blast Tournament in Anthem, with the Rams pulling out an 8-1 victory.

The Fighting Lobos were looking to avenge the earlier loss, but the Lady Rams jumped all over La Joya starting pitcher Alyssa Villareal with six runs in the first inning. La Joya would battle back, scoring three runs in the third inning, but Maricopa’s five-run sixth inning spelled the end of the game when the Fighting Lobos were blanked in the bottom of the sixth.

The mercy rule was called after six innings. 

The varsity baseball squad (4-3) traveled to Gilbert Saturday for the 4th annual Game on Germann baseball tournament at Campo Verde High School. The host Coyotes invited Maricopa High School along with 10 other teams.

***ADVERTISEMENT***Junior Nick Diaz knocked a two-run home run in the opener against Tucson High on Thursday night, but that was the only scoring Maricopa would see as senior pitcher Tristan Hartley would give up five hits, five walks and seven runs through five innings. Noah Anderson pitched two scoreless innings to end the game, but the Rams offense couldn’t catch up.

Saturday’s game against Campo Verde didn’t fare much better as the Cougars scored early and often off of starting pitcher Dillon Moran (0-2). By the time Moran was pulled in favor of Michael Gunter, Moran had given up six hits and eight runs, four earned. The Ram bats were once again silent as Cougars pitcher Eric Lamberson went the distance, giving up three hits, two to Friday’s pitcher, Hartley.

Monday night’s game against Agua Fria High School from Phoenix saw the Rams return to their winning ways, defeating the Owls 11-2. The next game will be 4 p.m. Wednesday vs. Mesa High School with the championship game on Thursday