Ironwood Ridge High School's Brandon Matthews safely slides into third as Catalina Foothills' Reid Hunter is unable to get him out Wednesday night. Catalina Foothillls beat Ironwood Ridge 7-3 in the Tucson Conquistadores Lancer Baseball Classic at the Kino Sports Complex.
After going deep into the Class 4A Division I boys basketball playoffs, Catalina Foothills High School’s Sterling North knew it would take time to get his swing back in order for the baseball season.
It appears he’s found it.
The 6-foot-7 North had five RBIs, hit two triples and a double and led Foothills to a 7-3 win over Ironwood Ridge in the Tucson Conquistadores Lancer baseball Classic at the Kino Sports Complex on Wednesday.
“I’ve really been feeling it lately,” North said. “I’ve been seeing the ball really well. I’ve been hitting as much as I can because that is what is going to get me back in the lineup. Now I’m finally getting back into it.”
Ironwood Ridge coach Jason Hisey, coaching against Catalina Foothills for the first time since ending his 11-year career there in 2006, said North was the deciding factor.
“The game outcome would have been different if we could have gotten North out,” said Hisey. “I don’t think it was as much getting him out as getting the guys in front of him out.”
The win pulled Foothills above .500 at 6-5 on the season.
“It doesn’t surprise me that they are good,” said Hisey, whose Nighthawks fell to 6-4. “They have extremely good players and I enjoyed every minute of it.”
In addition to North’s big bat, Foothills coach Lance Robertson was happy with the quality start he got from a starting pitcher who hadn’t thrown much this season.
“Tommy West hadn’t thrown all year,” Robertson said. “We didn’t know how he was going to throw and we thought we would give him the start against a really good team.”
Sahuaro 15, Moore (Okla.) 2 (6 innings): At the Gilbert Highland Victory Tournament, Sahuaro’s offense exploded for nine runs in the top of the sixth inning to earn the mercy-rule win.
Junior Josh Weyker hit a pair of doubles and a home run for the Cougars, who also got homers from C.J. Rodriguez, Jared Cox and Andrew McKeever.
For McKeever, the offense helped improve his pitching record to 1-1 on the season. McKeever pitched all six innings, allowing two hits.
Boys volleyball
Desert Christian 3, Tucson High 1 (22-25, 25-14, 25-16, 25-20): Kevin Johnson and Randsom Rockliffe combined for 13 kills for Class 2A Desert Christian in the four-game win over its 5A-I foe.
Flowing Wells 3, Pueblo 1 (19-25, 25-20, 25-21, 25-19): Darryl Peoples had 13 blocks and Kendrick Kaercher had a team-high 11 kills as Flowing Wells rallied after losing the first game.
High School Sports Editor Geoff Grammer contributed to this article.