Panther Invitational

Mar. 2-5

 

Pool Play got underway Wednesday at the Amphi Panther Invitational. In all, 16 teams will play at five different high schools in Southern Arizona including Walden Grove, Santa Rita, Palo Verde, Catalina and Amphitheater with the championship game scheduled for Saturday at Amphitheater.

The Invitational has taken many forms over the years from Canyon del Oro sharing hosting duties to games primarily being played at Amphitheater. This year, Coaches for Charity will be hosting the Invitational with former University of Arizona baseball coach Andy Lopez serving as the inaugural keynote speaker at a banquet scheduled for Friday night.

Desert Christian beat Amphitheater 6-2 Wednesday night to get things going at the main field. The Eagles have won the last three Division IV championships and, even though four standout seniors graduated last year, the team remains in the hunt for another title.

Gone are standouts Camron White, Ryan Phillips, Andrew Edwards and Zach Malis but nine upperclassmen return.

The Panthers are coming off of their first 21 win season since 2008 and third-year coach David Humphreys has them prepared for another playoff run.

Senior Barrett Greene took the mound for Desert Christian and junior Ivan Murillo threw for Amphitheater.

Desert Christian scored an unearned run in the top of the first to take the early lead but the Panthers opened up the bottom half with a single by Manny Murillo and a double from Michael Delgado. Greene induced a groundball and two infield pop ups to get out of the threat.

The Eagles scored again in the top of the third after Jacob Rosson doubled in Ethan Malis. Malis had reached on an infield error and it was an issue that would continue to cause problems for the Panthers.

Desert Christian added two more in the fourth with Malis coming up with a triple but Amphitheater scored two in the bottom of the inning with an RBI double from Manny Murillo being key.

Josh Repavich doubled in two more runs in the top of the seventh to put the game out of reach and the Eagles held on for the 6-2 win.

Manny Murillo went 2-4 with a double and Ivan Murillo went 2-4. Max Leon, Joseph Vasquez and Jesus Castro also picked up hits.  For Desert Christian, Brett Grabosch went 2-3 with Green picking up five strikeouts. Malis came in and pitched in the bottom of the seventh. Zach Rosson and Ryan Grabosch recorded infield hits.

 

 

POOL PLAY

 

Wednesday, Mar. 2

Walden Grove 10, Catalina 2

Rio Rico at Catalina

St. Augustine at Palo Verde

Desert View at Santa Rita

Desert Christian 6, Amphitheater 2

 

Thursday, Mar. 3

St. Augustine vs. Douglas, 1 p.m. at Palo Verde

Yuma at Palo Verde, 4 p.m.

El Dorado at Catalina, 4 p.m.

Walden Grove vs. Rio Rico, 4 p.m. at Walden Grove

Socorro vs. Desert View, 4 p.m. at Santa Rita

Yuma Cibola at Santa Rita, 7 p.m.

Hanks vs. Desert Christian, 4 p.m. at Amphitheater

Snowflake at Amphitheater, 7 p.m.

 

Friday, Mar. 4

Cibola vs. Socorro, 9 a.m. at Santa Rita

St. Augustine vs. Yuma, 9 a.m. at Palo Verde

Yuma vs. Douglas, 12 p.m. at Palo Verde

Yuma Cibola vs. Desert View, 12 p.m. at Santa Rita

Rio Rico vs. Dorado, 12 p.m. at Amphitheater

Snowflake vs. Hanks, 12 p.m. at Catalina

Desert Christian vs. Snowflake, 3 p.m. at Catalina

Douglas at Palo Verde, 3 p.m.

Socorro at Santa Rita, 3 p.m.

Hanks at Amphitheater, 7 p.m.