Coconino Beats Bradshaw Mountain To Advance In The 4A State Softball Tournament

The fifth-seeded Coconino Panthers rebounded from a tough loss Tuesday to beat eighth-seeded Bradshaw Mountain 3-1 Thursday in an elimination game in the 4A State Softball Tournament. The Panthers got on the board in the first inning as the first three batters got on base with no out. Danica Kern scored on a passed ball to make it 1-0. Coconino made it 2-0 as Kern scored her second run of the game when Alyssa Fockler hit a sacrifice fly to center. The Bears scored in the top-of the sixth inning when Brianna Baca hit a triple and scored off a single from Kadence Williams. Bradshaw Mountain then loaded the bases with one out when pitcher Yasmine Bernal lined out to short and doubled up Brina Lankford to end the inning with Coconino up 2-1. The Panthers went up 3-1 when C.J. Gonzalez singled home Izzy Pozar. The Bears went down in order in the seventh inning as Coconino won 3-1. Coconino freshman pitcher Kaitlyn Tso allowed a run and struck out seven in the win. Coconino will play fourth-seeded Paradise Honors in another elimination game Tuesday at the Rose Mofford Complex in Phoenix.