Gilbert and Flagstaff faced off Friday after both starting 2-0 in the 34th annual Adam Donnenfield preseason tournament.

With both Gilbert and Flagstaff winning each of their first two tournament games, they matched up to see who would remain undefeated on the young season. Flagstaff picked up the win, 13-3.

After a couple of singles and walks, the Eagles had runners on base in each of the first two innings, but were not able to capitalize after a runner was picked off by Tigers catcher Mason Kenas to end both the first and second innings.

Raiden Brown began the bottom of the second with a leadoff double. After taking third on a wild pitch, J.C. Espinoza hit a single up the middle to score Brown and give Gilbert a 1-0 lead.

The lead was short-lived, as Gilbert starting pitcher Brady Carlin began the third inning with eight straight balls and later balked in the game-tying run. After a single from Tuffy Callander and a defensive error, the Eagles had taken a 3-1 lead, but it could have been much bigger if not for two runners being picked off, making it four in three innings for the Eagles offense. 

After tacking on another run in the fourth via a Jace Adams solo home run, the Eagles were firing on all cylinders. Pitcher Tobyn Phillips of Flagstaff got through five innings, allowing one run on six hits, two walks and five strikeouts. 

That was all the Eagles needed, as their offense caught fire, scoring nine runs in the top of the sixth inning, thanks to three home runs in the inning from the lineup, including one from pitcher Tobyn Phillips. The Eagles used this explosive inning to take a 13-1 lead, and secured their victory in six innings after a couple of runs from Gilbert in the bottom of the inning, with a final score of 13-3. 

Although the outcome of the game was not what he had hoped, Gilbert High School coach CJ Retherford remained positive. “I think there were a little too many pitches early, it was his (Carlin’s) first start,” Retherford said. “It's not about one game, it's about the season.”

The Tigers issued five walks, compared to the Eagles two. This was a big factor throughout the game, as both teams were able to tally hits, with Flagstaff recording 14, to the Tigers nine. 

“I tell our guys, if you’re going to lose, get hit, don’t walk guys,” Retherford said. 

Second baseman Michael Dominguez reiterated this sentiment,

“We need to start off early,” Dominguez said. “Getting ahead early in the count, and then just lay them down there. We can’t let them get too deep on us.” 

With conference play around the corner, Retherford viewed the loss as an opportunity to improve. “We won our first two games, so it was a good feeling. Sometimes, you need to get humbled a little bit,” he said. 

Dominguez felt the same way, saying he expects the team to come out stronger mentally in its next game. 

Teams from all over Arizona entered the 34th annual Adam Donnenfield preseason tournament this year, creating intriguing out-of-conference matchups between opponents that do not normally play each other. 

The Tigers finished their tournament on Saturday, suffering a 15-5 defeat to the Horizon Huskies. The team now turns its attention to conference play, after a 2-2 start to the year.