Other articles by Casey Crowe:

Ironwood Ridge faces scary numbers game Saints work at comments, while Eagles just practice Host Lancers end frustrations, finally win Sabino prevails in hair-raising finish Santa Rita 1 win from titlePreparation, not celebration, on Santa Rita Eagles' minds Behm's success at state starting to sound like a broken record Tourneys kick off prep winter seasons Eagles swoop in late for win Additions to Eagles' roster may give Santa Rita edge for title run

Education
Assessment Technology, Inc
Social Studies Content Writer Health Care
Rio Salado College
PA's/Online Instructors General
CORT
WAREHOUSE/DRIVER Construction
Komatsu Equipment Co
Mechanic General
CORT
Warehouse Supervisor

PHOENIX — As she approached the batter's box with two runners on base, one out and her team clinging to a one-run lead over Tempe Corona del Sol, Sierra Vista Buena center fielder Melissa Hardy's nerves were messing with her mind.

One swing of the bat changed all that.

Hardy delivered a three-run home run in the sixth to ice top-seeded Buena's 6-2 win over the No. 3 Aztecs in the Class 5A-I quarterfinals at Rose Mofford Softball Complex.

"There was a lot of nervousness and different things going through my head," Hardy said. "I had to shake that off and just try to enjoy what I was doing. That worked. I felt better after that was over."

Buena (30-4) capitalized on three walks from Corona del Sol ace Marina Carroll and a passed ball to score a run in the first. The Colts added two more in the second on third baseman Lisa Stensby's two-run double.

On the mound, Buena southpaw Meghan McIntosh was unhittable for the next three innings, setting down the Aztecs in order in the third, fourth and fifth.

But Buena coach Mike Tomooka opted to play the percentages in the sixth, bringing in right-hander Jordan Trujillo to take on the heavily right handed top of the Aztecs lineup.

Corona del Sol (25-7) touched Trujillo for two runs in the top of the sixth before being pulled in favor of McIntosh, who immediately struck out Brittany Giannonati to end the threat.

"Sometimes your balls just don't have the movement you want, or sometimes the team you're facing just has the timing down off a certain pitcher, and that's what happened to (Trujillo)," Tomooka said.

Buena will play in the semifinals Wednesday, though the opponent has yet to be determined.

● Sunnyside 2, Sandra Day O'Connor 0: Sunnyside coach Pete Palomarez admitted that the Blue Devils' bats seemed overwhelmed by Sandra Day O'Connor ace Kirstin Linert in 5A-II quarterfinal play.

Despite grinding out just three base hits — all singles — and striking out 11 times, the Blue Devils manufactured runs by playing small ball and taking advantage of miscues.

Second-seeded Sunnyside (30-4) scored the only two runs of the game on a passed ball in the third and a throwing error in the fourth.

"(Linert) had us handcuffed for almost the whole game," Palomarez said. "We had to do all the little things, like bunting, score on mistakes, those types of things, to win this one."

Sunnyside sophomore pitcher Mari Contreras was also dominant, striking out six in a complete game effort.

"Everything was working," Contreras said. "I was spotting my fastball, inside and out, and throwing pitches where I wanted to throw them."

Sunnyside will play in the semifinals Wednesday against a to-be-determined opponent.