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With the 4A state championship bracket opening Saturday, and the 3A clubs getting their chance at glory starting next week, baseball playoffs have arrived along with the numerous storylines that go with it.

The boys of summer will soon be men, but for now, May provides not only the end of high school for many, but a chance to solidify their place in history among the best teams ever to play on a diamond in Arizona.

4A STATE BASEBALL (1ST ROUND, MAY 3)

SALPOINTE CATHOLIC

The Lancers (21-4-1, 8-0 4A Kino) sports a large senior class with most of them having played three-plus years of varsity baseball.

Senior Lucas Shannon leads the way offensively for this group, hitting .426 this season with a team-leading eight doubles and 31 RBIs. David Driskill and Izaiah Moraga, also seniors, share the team lead with three home runs apiece.

On the mound, Moraga leads the way with a 1.48 ERA in 42-2/3 innings pitched, carrying an 8-1 record, which is tops in 4A. Coach Danny Preble said that Moraga, along with Sam Meisner and Ernesto Bojorquez are the club’s top arms.

“All three compete in the zone, getting balls in play and allowing their defense to play behind them,” Preble said.

Salpointe Catholic earned the No. 1-overall seed and is hosting No. 16 St. Mary’s on May 3, 11 a.m.

ALA-QUEEN CREEK

The Patriots (22-3, 9-1 4A East Sky) wrapped up the regular season having won 12 of 14 games and coach DL Brewer believes pitching was a big reason why.

“Our pitching has been a big part of our success,” Brewer said. “You will win a lot of games when your pitching staff is effective. Hopefully we can keep that up.”

Collectively, ALA-Queen Creek’s staff pitched to a 2.29 ERA in 162 innings this spring, recording 218 strikeouts and walking only 54 as a group.

 Adam Solak leads the group in wins with five, but Jhett Reidhead’s 1.69 ERA and 4-0 record stand out on the stat sheet, while JP Altamirano’s 51 strikeouts in 35-2/3 innings pitched put him among Top 15 pitchers.

Offensively, Altamirano leads the team with a .520 average, five home runs, 12 doubles, two triples and 45 RBIs, tops in 4A this spring.

ALA-Queen Creek earned the No. 2 seed and will host No. 15 Mica Mountain on May 3, 11 a.m.

CRISMON

The Rattlers (19-8, 7-3 4A East Sky) have lost three straight and five of six heading into this weekend’s 4A state opener, but looks may be deceiving. Their opponents? Top-ranked ALA-Queen Creek and ALA-Gilbert North, 3A top-ranked Valley Christian (which hasn’t lost a power point game this season) and Prescott (10-9 loss in extras), which received a Top 8 seed in the 4A state playoffs and won the Grand Canyon region.

Junior Aiden Lopez is one to watch from this group, leading the club with a .550 average (3rd in 4A), 10 home runs (1st in 4A) and 43 RBIs (2nd in 4A).

Coach Greg Bordes said that the biggest difference this year is that his program has nine seniors, a first for a program that’s only been around two years.

“They all have bought into what our culture and standards are within the program,” Bordes said. “They hold one another accountable and push one another to be the best versions of themselves.”

Kenny Wilsford is another player to watch offensively with a .420 average, 10 doubles, three triples and 31 RBIs.

“[Kenny and Aaden] are thriving because they can control the strike zone and they take what the pitcher gives them,” Bordes said. “They are two very unselfish hitters who set the tone for our offense.”

Crismon earned the No. 8 seed and will host No. 9 Bradshaw Mountain on May 3, 11 a.m.

PRESCOTT

Winning the Grand Canyon region in the last week of the season, Prescott (17-5, 10-2 4A Grand Canyon) has won five in a row heading into this weekend’s 4A state opener.

Senior Adrian Sanderford is 4-2 this season with a 4.33 ERA, but his sneaky quick fastball and decent curveball are why he leads the team with 37 strikeouts, but because he sometimes struggles with control, his ERA has ballooned and it’s also whey he leads the staff with 22 walks.

Pitching may be important, but offense is what drives this club as the Badgers averaged a tick over 11 runs per game this spring. They have at least four regulars hitting over .435 with Luke Tobin leading the way at a .538 clip, seven doubles, two triples and 28 RBIs.

Sanderford isn’t bad himself in the box with a .435 average, four doubles and a team-leading 32 RBIs. The group hit .384 collectively this spring.

“The boys have a great approach and work on the details. We work with them on every aspect from how to properly take a pitch to making adjustments with different counts,” first-year coach Jason Hutchens said. “We have put an emphasis this year on finding a way to get on base and hitting line drives in the gaps.”

Prescott earned a No. 3 seed and will host No. 11 Flagstaff at 11 a.m. May 3.

OTHER 4A BASEBALL NOTES

Bradshaw Mountain was a Top 5 club all spring but lost three of their last five games in the final 10 days of the regular season, including a 10-0 loss to Prescott and a split with Lee Williams on the final day of the season. The No. 9-seeded Bears were forced to get in through the play-in round, but don’t be surprised if this group makes a run. … Yuma’s Kevin Garcia hit .529 this spring, good enough for seventh overall among 4A hitters. … Michael Nicolini of Paradise Honors led 4A with 101 strikeouts. … All four clubs to make the Final Four a season ago (Champion Saguaro, runner up Canyon Del Oro, Flagstaff and Estrella Foothills) are not in the Top 8 teams to receive a bye and avoid the play-in round this May.

3A STATE BASEBALL (FIRST ROUND, MAY 6)

VALLEY CHRISTIAN

The Trojans (25-2, 10-0 3A Central) enter next week’s 3A state playoff bracket as one of the hottest teams in state at any level, winning 13 consecutive games to wrap up a very successful 2025 regular season.

Averaging 11.6 runs per game, Valley Christian sports one of the top offenses in 3A this season as the club looks to repeat as champs after defeating Yuma Catholic 11-1 in the title game a season ago.

They are also one of only three teams across all conferences to go undefeated in power point games. The Trojans were 16-0, while Bagdad (1A) was 15-0 and Bisbee (2A) was 17-0.

Carson Grier, who led the school’s basketball team to its fourth championship in as many seasons back in February, leads this group offensively with a .386 average, three home runs, four doubles and 41 RBIs, good enough for second overall among all 3A hitters, just two behind Yuma Catholic’s Joey Carey (43).

On the mound, Cameron Bergloff was 6-1 with a 0.23 ERA in 30 innings pitched this spring, striking out 46 batters and walking 15.

Coach Vince Lagatta said this group needs to focus on “winning every day” and not get caught up in looking too far out.

“We need to pay attention to details in the process and not overlook anyone,” Lagatta said. “We set high standards for ourselves and we need to live up to them each day.”

Valley Christian is the No. 1 overall seed and will host No. 16 Payson on May 6, 4 p.m.

NORTHWEST CHRISTIAN

The Crusaders (20-6, 11-1 3A Metro) have won six straight entering the 3A state playoffs and are expected to compete with three pitchers in Fin Simms, Tim Sands and Connor Hillier read to roll.

“[They] attack hitters and are able to change speeds and locations. That allows them to be successful on the mound, and they are not afraid to pitch to contact and let their defense work behind them,” coach Bob Howry said.

Northwest Christian earned the No. 3 seed and will host No. 14 Pusch Ridge on May 6, 4 p.m.

YUMA CATHOLIC

The Shamrocks (22-2, 11-0 3A West) won 11 of 12 games to finish the regular season, outscoring their opponents 145-12, their only loss coming against Valley Christian on April 21, 7-1.

Yuma Catholic is hoping this May’s state bracket will turn out different after losing to the Trojans in the title game a season ago, and aim hoist their first title since 2006.

To do so, they’ll likely need to lean on Joey Carey, who hit .541 with four home runs, nine doubles, three triples and led all of 3A with 43 RBIs.

No. 2-seeded Yuma Catholic will host No. 15 Empire on May 6, 4 p.m.

OTHER 3A BASEBALL NOTES

Gilbert Christian went 14-3 in power point games this season and are led by Tyler Burr, who had six home runs to lead all of 3A, and Dane Coyle, who collected 48 hits on his way to a .600 average, the most in 3A this spring. … Kingman went 15-4 this season after not making the playoffs a season ago. … Snowflake won 16 power point games and won the 3A East, going a perfect 10-0.

Brian M. Bergner Jr. has covered professional, collegiate and high school sports for more than 20 years. Follow him on X at @AzPreps365Brian or on Facebook at @Five2MediaWorks. Have a story idea? Email Brian at bbergner@azpreps365.com.