Notre Dame Prep's Tyler Cranston nabbed MVP honors in 5A South's win over North. (AZPreps365 photo)

Tyler Cranston was one of the rare players who didn't sit much in an Arizona Baseball Coaches Association all-star game, but his presence was felt.

Cranston capped his long afternoon Sunday scoring the game-winning run in the bottom of the ninth as the 5A South topped the North, 6-3, at Goodyear Ball Park.

Cranston, a centerfielder, hit in the leadoff spot was 1 for 2 with three walks, scored twice and stole three bases. His final walk of the game started the bottom of the ninth with the game tied at 3. He promptly stole second and a few pitches later scored the game-winner on a single by Poston Butte's Nolan McNeil. 

The South seemed to have the game in hand after seven innings with a 3-0 lead and the work of its first six pitchers (Flowing Wells Juan Pablo Reudalflores and Noah Estrella, Mesquite's David Watson and Hunter Holland, Poston Butter's Josh Touhey and Vista Grande's Ed Gutierrez limiting the North to one hit and only three baserunners.

However, the North plated two runs in the eighth against Mesquite's Chase Webster on four hits -- one via wild pitch and the other an infield hit by Desert Edge's Julian Garcia. The North added the tying run in the ninth off Webster on Bracke's second hit of the game. Bracke was the lone North player with two hits.

Three South players collected two hits each - Campo Verde's Camden Vazquez, Notre Dame's Ben Nemivant and Paradise Valley's Max Seifer.

6A GAME

SOUTH 9, NORTH 0: Corona del Sol's Matt Novis began the night in centerfield and finished on the mound and his efforts were a big part of the South's blanking of the North in the AZBCA all-star game at Goodyear Ball Park.

Novis was the only South player with two hits, drove in a run and finished with a three-strikeout inning in the ninth to pick up game MVP honors. Novis was one of the few seniors this season in Corona's lineup and his leadership and perfomance helped the Aztecs win the Central Region title.

Corona's Matt Novis displays the 6A game's MVP plaque in South's 9-0 win over the North. (AzPreps365 photo)

The game was tight most of the way with the South scoring in the third for the game's first run. Tucson's Alex Kelch legged out an infield hit  and stole second. Novis, who singled to lead off in the first, drilled his second hit up the middle to plate Kelch. That ended up being the only run the South needed and made Tucson's George Arias the winning pitcher. Arias worked the third inning allowing two singles. He got out of trouble striking out the side. Arias' three Ks were among 18 the South staff -- eight pitchers -  amassed. 

Every South pitcher notched at least one strikeout - starter Ty Pohlman (Perry), Arias, Mountain View's John Neeley, Westwood's Jaggar Parke, Brophy's Stephen Buckel, Basha's Jake Jarvis, Skyline's Cole Yocum and Novis. The North left runners on base in every inning, 15 for the game. The game's top hitter was the North's CJ Schauwecker (Pinnacle), who had three singles and a walk in five plate appearances.

The South scored twice in the fifth and carried a 3-0 lead to the eighth. They added four runs in the eighth and two in the ninth to close the scoring. Mountain Pointe's Jonny Weaver (sacrifice fly) and Yocum (single) knocked in runs in the sixth. Desert Vista's Brandon Schlabach and Mountain View's Brandon Todd drew bases loaded walks in the eighth and Desert Ridge's Matt Shaw tripled in the runs in the ninth. Shaw tried for an inside-the-park home run, but was cut down at home.