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Ray High Bearcats
The fourth-ranked Ray baseball team reached the championship game of the Chandler Prep Baseball Classic last Saturday night at Tempe Diablo Stadium, the spring training home of the Anaheim Angels.
After winning their first three games of the tournament against 3A Tanque Verde (3 – 2), 2A Round Valley (11 – 8) and 2A Tempe Prep (13 – 2), the Bearcats were defeated by 3A San Tan Foothills in the championship, 4 – 0.
In the win against Tempe Prep, sophomore Derek Figueroa was 2-for-3 with three RBIs in addition to scoring three runs. He hit one of two doubles in the game for the Cats; Alex Bravo hit the other. Freshman Johnavon Pace went 2-for-2 with an RBI.
Senior starting pitcher Anthony Lopez was the beneficiary of the Cats’ 12 runs scored in the first three innings and earned the victory. He allowed two runs on three hits in three IP. Jack Warren, a freshman, and sophomore Alec Carrillo each threw a scoreless and hitless inning in relief.
Up next: Apr. 12 at Arete Prep (6 p.m.), Apr. 15 at Hayden (4 p.m.), and Apr. 16 at Superior (4 p.m.).
Andrew Luberda began writing for Copper Area News Publishers (CANP) in February 2013 after working 15 years in Healthcare Financial Management. Andy covers sports for 11 high schools. His stories are published in Copper Basin News, San Manuel Miner and Superior Sun, in addition to the San Tan Valley Daily PRSS and CopperArea websites. Additionally, he has written human interest stories and business profiles. In May 2012, he earned an AAS in Sports Management at Central Arizona College before graduating with a BS in Communication from Arizona State University in 2014. He and his wife, Kelli, have three sons – AJ, Kyle, and Kade.
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