Notre Dame’s kept its season alive in the 5A, but Horizon may have grabbed the momentum heading into their second semifinal game Thursday. 

If this season has taught us anything, it’s that Horizon is the most resilient high school baseball team in Arizona. However, almost rallying from a fifth inning 12-1 deficit takes that resilience to another level.

It’s hard to believe, but the Huskies went from the brink of a fifth-inning run-rule loss to bringing the potential tying run to the plate just two frames later. But, with a man at third, Notre Dame narrowly averted a complete meltdown, inducing a game-ending flyout to escape with a 13-11 win Wednesday at Hohokam Stadium.

“Hats off to (Horizon) for making us go the distance, but our guys battled,” Notre Dame first-year coach Joe Muecke said. “I knew we were prepared. We jumped out strong. It’s hard to maintain that momentum. But they finished what they started here.”  

Notre Dame jumped all over Horizon early, grabbing a 12-1 lead heading into what looked like the Huskies’ final at-bats in the bottom of the fifth. 

But this wasn’t the first time that the Huskies appeared to be down and out in the season. They lost nine games in a row during one stretch in the regular season. 

But the Huskies then turned their season around, winning 11 of their next 13 games to surprisingly reach the 5A semifinals with a 15-16 record as the 11th seed. Down to potentially its final strike Wednesday, Horizon responded once again when senior Ryan Tomey knocked in a run with a single to left. 

That left the Huskies trailing 12-3 to keep the game going. Horizon’s starting pitcher, Kanon Faseler, also had an RBI in the fifth to help extend the game. 

But the Huskies weren’t done. They scored six in the in the sixth and two in the seventh, leaving Notre Dame clinging to a 13-11 lead. 

Horizon’s No. 2 hitter, Ben Patton, who was 2-for-4 before his final at bat, had a runner on third with a full count against pitcher Andrew Baker.

But Baker, one of three pitchers Notre Dame used in the final three innings, finally put away Horizon after getting Patton to flyout at the end. Notre Dame and Horizon played in the toughest 5A region this year, the East Sky, which had six teams reach the postseason. 

Thursday’s game between Notre Dame and Horizon will mark the fifth meeting between the region rivals this season—and third in these playoffs. At stake in Thursday’s game will be a berth in Tuesday’s 5A final at Tempe Diablo Stadium.  

“I told the guys (going into the fifth inning),” first-year Horizon coach Luke Peevyhose said, "‘The only thing that matters going into those final innings is that we just don’t quit. No matter how this game ends, what you do from this point forward will set the tone going into (Thursday). That’s the only thing that matters now. Just find a way to extend the game. They (Notre Dame) don’t want to be here any longer than they have to, but we do.'
“I’m super proud of what they did. This game was pretty indicative of our season. We had a shot at the end, and that’s all we can ask for.”

In the first innings, it was all Notre Dame. 

The third-seed (23-9) took full advantage of Horizon’s shaky start defensively to grab a 4-0 lead in the first inning. 

Notre Dame then took full control with a seven-run third inning that saw 12 batters step to the plate. The offensive burst was partly driven by aggressive base running. 

Pepperdine-bound Aidan Martinez had three hits for Notre Dame, whose starting pitcher, Sam Jenkins, allowed just three singles in four innings of work. 

ACP still alive also

There’s no quit in the Arizona College Prep Knights as well. 

Facing elimination, the Knights defeated top-seeded Canyon del Oro 2-0 behind Clayton Nachman’s two-hit, complete-game performance. ACP became the first team to score against CDO through its first four playoff games.  

“This group of kids are the toughest, the grittiest teenagers I’ve ever been around,” said coach Andrew Pollak about his ACP team. “This is my 17th year coaching high school baseball, and this group just doesn’t quit. Our pitcher, that’s what he does every single time he takes the ball. I’m just so happy for them.”

Pollak’s ace also delivered a clutch 2-out RBI in the third, when ACP also scored its first run.  

C.J. Estrella legged out a bunt single and eventually scored after a double by Cash Groppenbacher and pass ball while Austin Longfellow was at the plate. 

In the bottom of the fifth, with a runner on first, Longfellow sprinted a long distance to left center to make a catch at Hohokam's warning track. ACP then made a heads-up play after tagging out the runner at first. 

The runner had failed to tag second base while returning to first on the long fly ball. CDO (27-6) loaded the bases in the bottom of the third, but Nachman got a batter to foul out to end the threat. 

CDO’s starting pitcher, Regen Mazura, broke up Nachman’s no-hit bid in the bottom of the fourth. Mazura also had the only other hit Nachman allowed. That came in the sixth, when Mazura reached his pitch count for the night.  

Fourth-seeded ACP (23-8) and CDO will go at it again at 6:30 p.m. Thursday to see who advances to the 5A championship game on Tuesday at Tempe Diablo Stadium.