#7 Red Mtn. rallies to top #4 SDO, 12-10

April 19, 2023 by Les Willsey, AZPreps365


Red Mountain players celebrate their come-from-behind win over Sandra Day O'Connor on Wednesday night. (Azpreps365 photo)

Crooked numbers dotted the scoreboard on Wednesday night in a top-10, 6A softball contest between host #7 Red Mountain and visiting #4 Sandra Day O'Connor. 

Red Mountain posted the largest of the those digits - six runs - in the fifth inning for their first lead of the game and they held on to edge O'Connor, 12-10. 

Red Mountain improved to 16-6-1 overall. The Mountain Lions lead the East Valley Region standings at 7-0, a 1/2 game better than second-place Mountain View (7-1). Red Mountain plays Mountain View again to comclude the regular season on April 24.

With the loss O'Connor fell to 15-9 overall. The Eagles have already clinched the Desert Valley Region title They are 7-1 in region owning a two-game lead over second-place Sunnyslope, who they swept earlier to own the region-title, tie-breaker.

Red Mountain sent 11 batters to the plate in the decisive fifth-inning rally. The rally consisted of five hits, a walk and an O'Connor error. Winning pitcher Kendall Cochran, Payton Westra and Taylor Hampton each knocked in a run in the inning.

Four Red Mountain players finished with multiple-hit games - Alixe DeAnda (3-4), Westra (2-5), Hampton (2-3) and Victoria Montenegro (2-3). O'Connor received multiple-hit games from Raegan Holtorf (2-3), Syndee Williams (2-4) and Mazzy Skinner (2-4).

Red Mountain caps a four-game week with games Thursday at Mesa High and Friday at home against Mesa. O'Connor's next game is a region affair Friday at home against Pinnacle.