Arizona high school baseball playoffs update: Tucson plays with an edge

As far as Tucson High Magnet School baseball coach Oscar Romero is concerned, let them keep disregarding what the Badgers have accomplished.

It's worked out just fine so far.

Tucson (29-4-1) earned the second seed in the Division I baseball tournament, but the Badgers were probably the most overlooked team in the 24-team bracket.

Most of it was the unknown.

Division I is filled with perennial powers, all of which are from the Phoenix area, with players expected to be drafted in June or start their college careers at a Division I program in the fall. The Badgers don't fall into that category. Their players are small in stature, light in recruiting buzz and haven't been mentioned much by the media.

It's created an edge for the Badgers, who advanced to Thursday's championship bracket finals when they'll face No. 1 Desert Mountain (Scottsdale) (29-4) at Tempe Diablo Stadium.

"We do have a chip on our shoulders," Romero said. "We read the papers and look at the rankings. We are getting no love whatsoever. No one knows who we are, but, we are 20-1 (against Division I opponents). (We know) some way we are going to make it happen.

"We are little (in stature) but we maximize our ability. We don't swing for the fences. We put it in play and use our speed. They are sold into it and that is the key."

That belief helped Tucson, which has won 29 state titles but last made a title game in 2002 and hasn't won since 1988, to stay alive after trailing No. 14 Mountain Pointe 3-0 through 5 ½ innings.

The Badgers rallied with a seven-hit sixth inning to post six runs for the 6-3 victory.

"That's our bread and butter," Romero said. "We don't have anybody that's going to hit the ball out of the yard, but we just look at the situations, work on the counts and get a pitch we can drive the other way."

Here is a look at how the brackets shape up this week:

Division I
Tuesday
Phoenix Municipal
Consolation bracket
No. 24 Corona del Sol (Tempe) vs. No. 14 Mountain Pointe (Phoenix), 4 p.m.
No. 10 Chaparral (Scottsdale) vs. No. 4 Pinnacle (Phoenix), 6:30 p.m.
Thursday
Tempe Diablo Stadium
Consolation bracket
Winners of Tuesday's games, 4 p.m.
Championship bracket
No. 2 Tucson vs. No. 1 Desert Mountain, 6:30 p.m.
Saturday
Tempe Diablo Stadium
Consolation bracket
Winner of Thursday's consolation game vs. Championship bracket final loser, 6:30 p.m.
Tuesday, May 14
Tempe Diablo Stadium
State championship game
Championship bracket winner vs. consolation bracket winner,  7 p.m.

Division II
Tuesday
Camelback Ranch
Consolation bracket
No. 10 Nogales vs. No. 4 Sahuaro (Tucson), 4 p.m.
No. 3 Notre Dame Prep (Scottsdale) vs. No. 1 Seton Catholic (Chandler), 6:30 p.m.
Thursday
Camelback Ranch
Consolation bracket
Winners of Tuesday's games, 4 p.m.
Championship bracket
No. 6 Ironwood Ridge (Tucson) vs. No. 5 Sunnyslope (Phoenix), 6:30 p.m.
Saturday
Camelback Ranch
Consolation bracket
Winner of Thursday's consolation game vs. Championship bracket final loser, 6:30 p.m.
Tuesday, May 14
Camelback Ranch
State championship game
Championship bracket winner vs. consolation bracket winner,  7 p.m.

Division III
Friday
Surprise Stadium
Semifinals
No. 10 Chino Valley vs. No. 3 Fountain Hills, 4 p.m.
No. 13 Empire (Tucson) vs. No. 9 Payson, 6:30 p.m.
Saturday
Surprise Stadium
Championship
Winners of Friday's games, 7 p.m.

Division IV
Friday
Phoenix Municipal
Semifinals
No. 18 San Manuel vs. No. 3 Phoenix Christian
No. 17 Pima vs. No. 4 Desert Christian (Tucson)
Saturday
Phoenix Municipal
Winners of Friday's games, 7 p.m.

Jason P. Skoda, a former Arizona Republic and current Ahwatukee Foothills News staff writer, is a 18-year sports writing veteran. Contact him at jskoda1024@aol.com or 480-272-2449.