TUCSON, Ariz. — For the second year straight, Empire Softball beat Tanque Verde in the 3A State Semi-Finals to move onto the State Championship Game.
The Raven beat the Hawks 1-0 in nine innings.
The defending state champs, Empire, also avenged their only loss this season. The Ravens losing to the Tanque Verde back in April.
It was a pitcher's dual between the Empire's Kendall Freidinger and Hawk's Claire Achilles. The two had a combined 26 strikeouts, 12 from Achilles and 14 from Freidinger.
Raven's senior, Abby Zsitvay, walked it off in the bottom of the ninth to claim the win over Tanque Verde.
"When I got up to bat, I was just thinking right side, right side, right side," Zstivay said. "But, none of it would have happened Gabi and Lainey didn't get on. They did their job, they did great and it wouldn't have happened without them."
"I feel great," Empire Softball Coach, Shannon Woolridge said. "I feel really good. Obviously, Sabino on Wednesday and then Tanque Verde tonight, we knew it was not going to be easy to get to another State Championship game, but we're going."
Empire will play Yuma Catholic on Monday, May 12th at Farrington Softball Stadium in Tempe.
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Erin Patterson is a reporter for KGUN 9. She's agraduate of the University of Alabama with a Bachelor’s in News Media with a Sports Concentration. Erin recently obtained her Master's Degree in Sports Journalism from Arizona State University at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism, where she gained experience a sports reporter, anchor and producer. Share your story ideas and important issues with Erin by emailing erin.patterson@kgun9.com.
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