Softball rewind: Cook leads Pinnacle past Mountain Ridge
C.C. Cook was masterful in the circle and her teammates delivered at the plate, leading Phoenix Pinnacle to a 7-0 Division I softball tournament victory over Glendale Mountain Ridge on Tuesday in an elimination game.
Pinnacle (27-5) advances to Thursday's start of the eight-team, double-elimination portion of the state tournament, playing No. 7 Gilbert Campo Verde at 7:30 p.m. at Rose Mofford Softball Complex.
Cook gave up four hits, struck out 10 and walked two in a seven-inning, complete-game pitching performance.
Mountain Ridge reached the state championship game last season behind pitcher Giselle Jaurez.
RELATED:Top 10 softball performers of the week
But No. 2-seed Pinnacle scored two runs in the first and added five in the fifth inning.
Marissa Schuld, Jackie Kelley and Nicole Amodio -- the 3, 4, 5 batters in the order -- each drove in two runs.
Campo Verde eliminated Anthem Boulder Creek 3-0, as Myka Sutherlin pitched a complete game, giving up five hits and striking out seven. Brenna Scudellari led off the bottom of the first with a home run.
In other Division I elimination games Tuesday:
- Top-seed Phoenix Desert Vista defeated Phoenix Horizon 2-1, as Mara Kemmer hit a two-run triple in the bottom of the sixth inning. She pitched the last two innings for the victory, striking out five the last seven batters she faced and giving up just one hit.
Desert Vista will play No. 9 Gilbert Perry on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at Rose Mofford Complex.
- No. 5 Chandler Hamilton will play No. 4 Phoenix Sandra Day O'Connor on Thursday after beating Scottsdale Chaparral 6-3.
Madison Seigworth got the win, pitching five scoreless innings. She struck out four. Taylor Gindlesperger had three RBIs.
- No.11 Chandler -- a 3-1 winner over No. 6 Phoenix Xavier Prep -- will play No. 3 Gilbert Desert Ridge -- a 2-1 winner over Peoria Centennial -- at 7:30 on Thursday.
- In Chandler's 3-1 win over Xavier, junior Gabby Baker pitched a complete game, giving up six hits and walking none. Freshman Courtney Shollmeyer went 2 for 2 and Kate Gross and Mona Noriega each had two hits and an RBI.
FIND A GAME: High school softball scores and schedule
Division II elimination games
Glendale Cactus pitcher Tatumn Porras gave up three hits and struck out five in a 5-0 victory over No. 13 Prescott.
No. 4 Cactus advances to the double-elimination tournament Thursday at 5:30 at Rose Mofford Complex to play No. 5 Phoenix Arcadia.
Emily Guerra went 2 for 2 for Cactus.
- Arcadia eliminated defending state champion Vail Cienega 5-3, as Emily Ingles got the win, striking out 10.
"The Titans played sloppy defense but Ingles was able to work out of many jams," coach Jason Foster said.
Haley Denning led Arcadia offensively with two hits and an RBI. Morgan Ash had a two-run home run that tipped off the center fielder's glove for the win.
- No. 23 Casa Grande advanced to play No. 2 Oro Valley Ironwood Ridge with a 13-2 victory over No. 2 Surprise Shadow Ridge.
- No. 1 Oro Valley Canyon del Oro will play No. 8 Tucson in Tucson on Thursday, as will No. 6 Tucson Salpointe against No. 3 Tucson Sahuaro.
Reach Obert at richard.obert@arizonarepublic.com or 602-460-1710. Follow him at twitter.com/azc_obert.
