Canyon del Oro held off Salpointe 6-5 to capture the championship of the 26th Annual Dorado Classic

The softball rivalry between Canyon del Oro (7-2) and Salpointe (6-2) played out once more when the two storied programs faced off in the championship of the Dorado Classic Saturday at Lincoln Regional Park.

The Lancers took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first after Logan Cole doubled to start the game and Elise Munoz brought her in on a ground out later in the inning but the Dorados responded with four runs in the second inning.

Naya Campos singled, Marina Acedo reached on an error and then Alexis Christy reached on error while attempting a sacrifice to load the bases. Running for Campos, Asiah Bell stole home to tie the game up 1-1. Faith Valenzuela singled in Acedo and then Alina Felix doubled in Christy and Valenzuela for the 4-1 lead.

The Lancers tied things up in the top half of the third after Cole reached on a one-out single and Anjolee Aguilar-Beaucage reached on a hit-by-pitch to put two on for Munoz. Munoz knocked in Cole and Aguilar-Beaucage scored on an error to cut the lead down to 4-3 and then Yannixa Acuna doubled in Munoz for the tie.

The Dorados took the lead for good in the bottom of the third after Amya Legarra singled and courtesy runner Bella Porter scored on a wild pitch later in the inning. Katie Stracco singled with one out in the fifth and Sabrina Garcia doubled in pinch runner Grace Payne to put Canyon del Oro up 6-4.

The insurance run proved valuable after Cole doubled in the seventh and Aguilar-Beaucage singled her in with one out to cut the Dorado lead down to 6-5.

Aguilar-Beaucage advanced to third with two outs but Legarra picked up her 10th strikeout to preserve the victory. Allie Hayes and Alyssa Aguilar pitched for Salpointe.

SALPOINTE: Cole went 3-4 with 3 runs and 2 doubles; Acuna went 2-4 with an RBI and a double; Munoz went 1-3 with 2 RBI and a run; Aguilar-Beaucage went 1-3 with an RBI and a run and Julia Holt went 1-2 with a walk.

CANYON DEL ORO: Felix went 1-3 with 2 RBI and a double; Garcia went 1-2 with an RBI and a double: Valenzuela went 1-1 with an RBI and a run; Campos went 1-2 with a walk; Stracco went 1-2 and Legarra went 1-3. Payne, Bell, Acedo, Christy and Porter scored.

Canyon del Oro hosts Tucson (4-2) on Tuesday, March 3 and Salpointe hosts Nogales (0-1) on Monday.

Kaci Rodriguez went 3 for 3 with a triple, a double, 3 RBI and 3 runs scored to help lead Cactus Shadows to a 10-4 win over Mountain View Mesa in the Consolation Championship game. (CDO Photo)