Photos: Salpointe storms back to beat Ironwood Ridge 8-5, 4A state baseball playoffs
The Nighthawks went up 2-0 right off the bat in the top of the first, but the Lancers countered with seven in their half and an 8-5 win in the semifinals of the state 4A baseball playoffs, May 14, 205, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz.
Salpointe's pitcher Izaiah Moraga (25) lets go with a yell and a chest slap after striking out an Ironwood Ridge batter to end the Nighthawk half of the fourth inning of their 4A state semifinal playoff game, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz., May 14, 2025. The Lancers roared back after going down 2-0 with seven runs in the bottom of the first en route to an 8-5 win.
Ironwood Ridge's left fielder Aiden Lajeunesse (22) loses the handle on a pop-fly down the line that let Salpointe's Paul Saffer (35) reach in the first inning of their 4A state semifinal playoff game, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz., May 14, 2025.
Salpointe's second baseman Johnny Abramian (8) puts down the tag on Ironwood Ridge's Keanu Bracamonte (9) trying to stretch a single leading off the fifth inning during their 4A state semifinal playoff game, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz., May 14, 2025.
Salpointe’s shortstop Aciel Guillen makes the pivot but can’t complete the double play for a fielder’s choice in the second inning against Ironwood Ridge in the Class 4A state semifinals in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ on May 14, 2025.
Ironwood Ridge's Jordan Garcia (25) drops a bloop single into no-man’s land between Salpointe's right fielder Adan Koch Rodriguez (4), left, and second baseman Johnny Abramian (8) driving home a run in the seventh inning of their 4A state semifinal playoff game, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz., May 14, 2025.
Ironwood Ridge's shortstop Keanu Bracamonte (9) cuts in front of third baseman Brody Young (21) to handle the ground ball in the gap from Salpointe's David Driskill (16) in the third inning of their 4A state semifinal playoff game, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz., May 14, 2025.
Ironwood Ridge's third baseman Brody Young (21) charges a grounder up the line by Salpointe's Colton Raetzman (2) in the second inning of their 4A state semifinal playoff game, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz., May 14, 2025.
Ironwood Ridge's right fielder Wyatt Charnoki (2) manages to run down a pop-up from Salpointe's Johnny Abramian (8) deep in foul territory in the fourth inning of their 4A state semifinal playoff game, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz., May 14, 2025.
Ironwood Ridge's first baseman Jordan Garcia (25) makes the throw from his knees after a sprawling catch on a hard grounder and throw out Salpointe's Adan Koch Rodriguez (4) in the fifth inning of their 4A state semifinal playoff game, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz., May 14, 2025.
Salpointe's left fielder Paul Saffer (35), left, and center fielder Colton Raetzman (2) can’t get to a fly in the hole that ended up with Ironwood Ridge's Brody Young (21) on third in the sixth inning of their 4A state semifinal playoff game, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz., May 14, 2025.
Salpointe's third baseman David Driskill (16) keeps careful watch, waiting to see if Ironwood Ridge's Brody Young (21) comes off the bag celebrating his triple in the sixth inning of their 4A state semifinal playoff game, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz., May 14, 2025.
Ironwood Ridge's third baseman Brody Young (21) makes the throw for the put out after charging a soft grounder in the hole by Salpointe's Johnny Abramian (8) in the sixth inning of their 4A state semifinal playoff game, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz., May 14, 2025.
Ironwood Ridge's Tristin McQuay (8) celebrates coming home on a clean single by Angel Figueroa (24) to open the scoring in the top of the first inning against Salpointe during their 4A state semifinal playoff game, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz., May 14, 2025.
Ironwood Ridge's left fielder Aiden Lajeunesse (22) makes the long run but can’t get a glove on the line drive in the gap by Salpointe's Johnny Abramian (8) that went to the wall driving in three runs on an inside the park homer for a 7-2 Lancer lead in the first inning of their 4A state semifinal playoff game, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz., May 14, 2025.
Salpointe’s Johnny Abramian (8) charges past the plate after clearing the bases on his three-RBI inside the park home run against Ironwood Ridge in the first inning of their 4A state semifinal playoff game in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ on May 14, 2025.
Ironwood Ridge's starter Wyatt Charnoki (2) shovels the ball to first, just nipping Salpointe's Adan Koch Rodriguez (4) trying to bunt for a hit in the first inning of their 4A state semifinal playoff game, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz., May 14, 2025.
Salpointe's right fielder Adan Koch Rodriguez (4) skids on the turf under the ball hit by Ironwood Ridge's Clifford Graves (35) that ended up a double play, but also drove home a Nighthawk run in the third inning of their 4A state semifinal playoff game, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz., May 14, 2025.
Salpointe's shortstop Aciel Guillen maneuvers to glove a grounder by Ironwood Ridge's Wyatt Charnoki (2) in the fourth inning of their 4A state semifinal playoff game on May 14, 2025.
Salpointe's Lucas Shannon (10) celebrates his RBI double beside Ironwood Ridge's first baseman Jordan Garcia (25) in the fifth inning of their 4A state semifinal playoff game, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz., May 14, 2025.
Salpointe's third baseman David Driskill (16) can’t get a grip on a bunt up the line by Ironwood Ridge's Wyatt Charnoki (2) in the sixth inning of their 4A state semifinal playoff game, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz., May 14, 2025.
Salpointe's starter Izaiah Moraga (25) gets to the soft come-backer that resulted in a fielder’s choice against Ironwood Ridge in the second inning of their 4A state semifinal playoff game, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz., May 14, 2025.
Salpointe's Johnny Abramian (8) startles one of the umps as he charges by celebrating the last out, which came on an overturned call at second base, and an 8-5 Lancer win over Ironwood Ridge in the 4A state semifinals, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz., May 14, 2025.
Kelly Presnell
Photojournalist
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