TEMPE — Kino Lorona had only one hit in the 1A state baseball championship game for Hayden, but it sure was a big one, blasting a three-run home run that sparked a 12-run rally over the first two innings to help the Lobos claim the title.

It is the second straight championship for Hayden (23-5-1, 11-0-1 1A East), which has now won 11 in program history, tying them with Nogales (11) and trailing only St. David (18) and Tucson (29) for most titles all time in the state of Arizona.

“I was sitting fastball, he threw it right down the pipe and I smoked it,” said Lorona, who is a sophomore, about his first-inning home run.

After Rene Ocha laced a triple and eventually scored on a passed ball to complete the four-run first-inning rally for No. 4-seeded Hayden, it wasn’t long before they were back at the dish in the bottom of the second looking for more.

Lorona, Ochoa and Jordan Rodriguez each earned a walk before Darren Smith, Jarin Cruz, Joshua Manriquez and Domonic Alvarado each singled in RBIs to spark the eight-run rally and before Lincoln Prep fans could settle into their seats, it was 12-0.

“These kids are unbelievable. They don’t lack any confidence. They step out on the field and say, ‘Let’s play ball.’ They are believers. And the coaches that we have, the community we have, the backing, is outstanding,” longtime Hayden skipper Robert Lorona said. “Without that backing, we wouldn’t be here.”

No. 11-seeded Lincoln Prep (15-9-1, 6-6-1 1A East) would rally with three runs in each of the third and fourth innings to cut Hayden’s lead, 12-6, but were unable to overcome the deficit.

“Up 12-0, kids get lax sometimes. We just hung in there. Our young pitchers came in and did the job. It’s rougher for freshman to be out there with this pressure, but no, they’re unbelievable,” Lorona said.

And on his nephew’s (Kino Lorona) three-run homer back in the first inning, the skipper said he wasn’t “surprised.”

“He’s led the team in hitting since his freshman year. No surprise,” the skipper Lorona said.

Manriquez pitched 3-1/3 innings, and said he had confidence after the 12-spot.

“It instantly gives a pitcher the motivation and the positivity to go into that game and trust their defense even more,” Manriquez said. “Luckily, I have the best defense in 1A, possibly the state. I don’t care if I’m given a 10-0 game, or 1-0 game, it doesn’t matter. I trust my defense.”

Standouts for the Lightning included Cash Luce, who was 2 for 5 with an RBI and two runs scored, while Michael DeBratto was 1 for 3 with two RBIs. Jacoby Weiss, a freshman, had two hits and two RBIs as well in the loss.

Brian M. Bergner Jr. has covered professional, collegiate and high school sports for more than 20 years. Follow him on Twitter @AzPreps365Brian. Have a story idea? Email Brian at bbergner@azpreps365.com.