When the inquiry came, Mark Stevens had one question.

‘What kind of pitching do you have?’ is what he fired back as a query to the Tanque Verde administration after the athletic director reached out to Stevens three years ago.

“I think it is a legitimate question when you’re talking about 3A softball,” Stevens remembered. “They said they had someone.”

Enter Claire Achilles, a UConn commit with six no-hitters this season.

Stevens, who state a state title at Catalina Foothills in 2016, took the job after finding about then freshman Achilles.

The No. 7 Hawks have been building toward Monday’s experience ever since as the program won its first state title, bringing home the 3A trophy after beating No. 5 Yuma Catholic 10-0 in six innings.

“It’s something we knew we could do,” Achilles said. “We came into the game confident after beating Empire 9-2 (in the state semifinals). Our bats were rolling, and I was rolling. We kind of knew we were in a good position.”

The combo of Achilles and an offense led by sophomore Mikaela Jackson authored the standard setting season for the program that ended with a blow-out win at Grand Canyon University to add just the second state title banner in school history, matching a state swimming title.

“The coaches reshaped the program,” Achillies said. “The program was good before, but I never played for them, the seniors have, so no disrespect, but we’re here because of what they’ve been able to do and get us believe it can happen.”

The fourth inning is where it all unraveled for the Shamrocks (27-6-1) as four errors in the infield, along with two hits and a hit batter, led to six runs.

It was uncharacteristic for a team that has won 27 games, made the state finals last season and at least semis for half a decade.

And with Achilles in the circle that’s not going to work.

“We fell apart there and panicked,” Yuma Catholic coach Jarred Lackey said. “We lost our composure. We won our last game because of our composure. I didn’t have them ready to play so the composure was not there, and it snowballed. Six runs in an inning - it is hard to bounce back against a pitcher dealing like that.”

The Yuma Catholic softball program is one of the best 3A programs in the state. (Jason P. Skoda/AzPreps365)

The Shamrocks will remain a top program in 3A with players like freshman starting pitcher Kayla Price and somewhat young roster that hit .440 on the season. Senior Kody Leigh managed the only hit, a double to left field, but other than a seventh inning walk Yuma Catholic was one-hit for the second straight year in the championship game.

“I have to figure out how to get over the hump,” Lackey said. “This is a reflection on me and getting them close is one thing but getting them over the hump is whole another animal.”

The beast in this game was Achilles as she the junior right-hander gave up one hit, one walk and finished with 11 strikeouts and no walks for the Hawks (29-5).

“I woke up early for a chemistry test so low key, I was tired and a little nervous,” she said. “Then once we got on the bus and headed this way, the nerves went away. We got that lead and it just allowed me to be more aggressive in the zone, and I was pitching for my teammates, and I knew they had my back.”

The offense was led by Jackson, who had 22 home runs on the season, as she had two doubles and a single. Her first double in the third inning gave the Hawks a 1-0 lead before breaking it open in the fourth.

“She has a natural swing, and the ball just jumps off her bat,” Stevens said. “She never hit a home run in her life until last year and she has had a monster year.”

Sophomore Ella Haggard and Achillies had two hits, while the middle of the lineup kept putting the ball in play hard in the fourth that led to all of the unearned runs in the fourth.

Put it all together – Steven asking the right question, Achilles pounding the strike zone, Jackson finding her home run stroke – and Tanque Verde heads back to Tucson as state champions.

“I don’t know what happened, they just started coming once I got the first one,” Jackson said. “I’m not gonna question it. I just want it to keep it rolling.”

And it just might be the case for the Hawks as the young roster now knows what it takes.

“That was good phone call to pick up,” Stevens said. “We have some special players. They deserve this, my coaching staff is great and now we have our first one.”

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