Photos: Salpointe slugs their way past Mica Mountain, 4A state semifinals
The Lancers got ahead early then piled on late in defeating the Thunderbolts 8-1 for a spot in the 4A final, May 15, 2025, Tucson, Ariz.
Salpointe's catcher Lilly Mann (42) celebrates with her teammates after slapping a sticker on their homemade bracket showing the Lancers advancing to the 4A state final with their 8-1 defeat of Mica Mountain, Tucson, Ariz., May 15, 2025.
Salpointe's shortstop Leylani Cuesta (19), top, and second baseman Isabel Otero (32) get tangled going for the ball to double off Mica Mountain's Caeli Shellenbarger (6) and end the Thunderbolt half of the second inning during their 4A state semifinal playoff game, Tucson, Ariz., May 15, 2025.
Salpointe's shortstop Leylani Cuesta (19) ranges up the middle to snare a drive by Mica Mountain's Nicole Sandison (1) in the third inning of their 4A state semifinal playoff game, Tucson, Ariz., May 15, 2025.
Mica Mountain's Dezeree Lopez Taylor (10) runs out of room trying to chase down Salpointe batter Lilly Mann’s (42) solo homer to center in the third inning of their 4A state semifinal playoff game, Tucson, Ariz., May 15, 2025.
Salpointe's Lilly Mann (42) joins the crowd at home on her solo homer that opened the scoring in the third inning of the 4A state semifinal against Mica Mountain, Tucson, Ariz., May 15, 2025.
Salpointe's Soli Ramos (10) slides home with the Lancers’ second run of the third inning on a wild pitch, giving them a 2-0 lead over Mica Mountain in their 4A state semifinal playoff game, Tucson, Ariz., May 15, 2025.
Salpointe's Anais Valencia (21) gets over the crowd in the Lancer dugout, encouraging her teammates on the field during their 4A state semifinal game against Mica Mountain, Tucson, Ariz., May 15, 2025.
Mica Mountain's Nicole Sandison (1) looks for the sign from the Thunderbolt dugout in the fourth inning of their 4A state semifinal playoff game against Salpointe, Tucson, Ariz., May 15, 2025.
Mica Mountain's shortstop Shaylee Fuell (22) comes up inches short of bloop down the left field line by Salpointe's CC Moraga (12) that landed just fair for a hit in the fifth inning of their 4A state semifinal playoff game, Tucson, Ariz., May 15, 2025.
Salpointe's CC Moraga (12), at third base, plays a long distance game of Rock, Paper, Scissors with Jocelyn Gastellum (44) on first during a long time out in the fourth inning of their game with Mica Mountain in the 4A state semifinal playoffs, Tucson, Ariz., May 15, 2025.
Salpointe's third baseman Izzy Soto (20) can’t find the handle on a rip down the line by Mica Mountain's Nicole Sandison (1) in the fifth inning of their 4A state semifinal playoff game, Tucson, Ariz., May 15, 2025.
Mica Mountain's Dezeree Lopez Taylor (10) dives under Salpointe's second baseman Isabel Otero (32) straying too far from the bag on a ball hit to third in the fifth inning of their 4A state semifinal playoff game, Tucson, Ariz., May 15, 2025.
Mica Mountain's shortstop Shaylee Fuell (22) comes up inches short of getting a glove on a sharp grounder up the middle by Salpointe's Isabel Otero (32) in the fifth inning of their 4A state semifinal playoff game, Tucson, Ariz., May 15, 2025.
Salpointe's Sarah Camp (49) past coach Tricia Sztan in the sixth inning on her two-RBI homer and an 8-1 lead over Mica Mountain in their 4A state semifinal playoff game, Tucson, Ariz., May 15, 2025. Camp’s shot was originally called bouncing off the fence, but an official’s huddle eventually changed the call to caroming off the foul pole for a home run.
Salpointe's second baseman Isabel Otero (32) can’t handle the bounce on a speedy grounder by Mica Mountain's Addison Rogers (13) in the seventh inning of their 4A state semifinal playoff game, Tucson, Ariz., May 15, 2025. Otero recovered quickly and managed to nip Rogers at first.
Salpointe pitcher Macee Jackson (26) throws in relief during the seventh inning against Mica Mountain in the inning of their 4A state semifinal playoff game, Tucson, Ariz., May 15, 2025.
Mica Mountain's third baseman Caeli Shellenbarger (6) ends up needing both hands to gather in a high pop-up by Salpointe's Isabel Otero (32) in the second inning of their 4A state semifinal playoff game, Tucson, Ariz., May 15, 2025.
Mica Mountain's starter Acelynn-Rose Heston (7) cranks a pitch against Salpointe during their 4A state semifinal playoff game, Tucson, Ariz., May 15, 2025.
The Salpointe reserves pour onto the field after the final out to celebrate a 8-1 win over Mica Mountain and a trip to the 4A state final, Tucson, Ariz., May 15, 2025.
Salpointe catcherLilly Mann’s (42) teammates photo bomb her post game interviews after the Lancer 8-1 win over Mica Mountain in the 4A state semifinal playoffs, Tucson, Ariz., May 15, 2025.
Mica Mountain's second baseman Bibiana Tanori (3) dives for the bag to nip Salpointe's Leylani Cuesta (19) after her bloop up the line eluded first baseman Addison Rogers, Tucson, Ariz., May 15, 2025.
Salpointe's head coach Tricia Sztan has her post-game media interview bombed by her entire team doing the conga behind her after the Lancer’s 8-1 win in the 4A state semifinals over Mica Mountain, Tucson, Ariz., May 15, 2025.
Kelly Presnell
Photojournalist
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