With Phoenix Sunnyslope poised to win its second straight Division II baseball crown, it seems only fitting that a guy named Royal would play a key role for the Vikings.

Senior first baseman Royal Love hit a two-run triple to highlight a three-run first inning and Sunnyslope rode the pitching of junior left-hander Calvin Lebrun to an 8-3 victory over Tucson Ironwood Ridge in a winner’s bracket game at Camelback Ranch in Glendale on Thursday night (May 9).

Sunnyslope (28-4) advances to Tuesday night’s (May 14) championship game at Camelback Ranch.

The fifth-seeded Vikings will play the winner of an elimination game on Saturday night (May 11) between No. 6 Ironwood Ridge and No. 3 Scottsdale Notre Dame Prep at Camelback Ranch. Notre Dame stayed alive with a 10-4 victory over No. 4 Tucson Sahuaro earlier Thursday.

Lebrun was happy to get the early three-run cushion, with Love providing the big triple.

“The kid can swing it,’’ Lebrun said.

Ironwood Ridge can swing the bat, too. The Nighthawks collected nine hits off Lebrun, who struck out nine and did not walk a batter.

Lebrun is not an overpowering pitcher, but relies instead on location.

“When he executes his pitches, he is successful,’’ Sunnyslope coach Jeff Shillington said. “Tonight, he did it against what maybe is the best-hitting team in the state. He is a battler, a real bulldog.’’

Said Lebrun: “I was just trying to make my pitches, get the hitters out.’’

The pitcher is looking forward to playing for another title.

“I think it helps after being here last year,’’ said Lebrun, who contributed a two-run double to highlight a four-run fourth inning against Ironwood Ridge.

“Last year, we weren’t as experienced as we are now. The deeper and deeper we go, the more confident and comfortable we get.’’

Lebrun allowed the first Ironwood Ridge to score in the second inning on a balk to make it 3-1.

Sunnyslope got the run back in the bottom of the inning on a single by Casey Bowman.

Ironwood Ridge picked up another run in the third on two hits and an error.

Sunnyslope made it 8-2 with the big fourth inning, and Ironwood Ridge got its final run in the fifth on a slow-rolling infield hit by Kurt Bailey.

Lebrun gave up a pair of hits in the seventh, but retired two men on strikeouts and finished off the game with a groundout to shortstop.