Team Arizona set for consolation game at Jr. Sunbelt Tourney

June 11, 2014 by Les Willsey, AZPreps365


Team Arizona evened its record after the final game of round-robin play at 4-4 on Wednesday (June 11) morning by edging Team Mississippi, 3-2, at the annual Junior Sunbelt Baseball Classic in McAlester, Okla.

Horizon's Matt Kroon hit his third home run of the tournament in the sixth inning to put Arizona ahead, 2-1. Mississippi tied the game in the top of the seventh, but Queen Creek's Kody Funderburk doubled home Chandler's Hayden Durkiewicz with the winning run in the bottom of the seventh. Mountain Ridge's Justin Revels was the winning pitcher in relief for Arizona -- his second win of the tournament. Horizon's Chris Isbell and Fountain Hills Devin Foyle combined for six innings of five-hit, one-run pitching prior to the seventh. Queen Creek's Josh Andrews led Arizona with two hits. 

Team Arizona's chance to finish high or qualify for the championship game fell by the wayside Tuesday (June 10). Arizona dropped a pair of games, losing 6-3 to Team Georgia and then 7-2 to Team Tennessee.

Team Arizona's bats were pretty much quiet all day Tuesday as it collected only five hits vs. Georia and four against Tennessee. In the 6-3 loss to Team Georgia, Kroon banged out three of Team Arizona's hits. Chaparral's Sam Messina pitched four innings and took the loss as Team Georgia grabbed an early lead and never trailed. Mesquite's Cole Valletta homered for Team Arizona. Scottsdale Christian's Marcus Skundrich also drove in a run for Arizona.

Team Arizona broke a scoreless tie in the fourth against Team Tennessee with Canyon del Oro's Erick Migueles blasting a two-run homer. But Tennessee rallied for five runs in the bottom of the fourth to put Arizona away. Liberty's Tyler Wyatt took the loss for Arizona, allowing five runs, three earned in three-plus innings. Arizona committed two errors in the game that led to four unearned runs for Team Tennessee. Pinnacle's Blake Flint was 2-for-2 for Arizona.

Team Arizona (4-4) concludes play Wednesday (June 11) with an afternoon game against a team to be determined. Team Arizona returns to the Valley on Thursday.