By Jason W. Brooks
Mail | Twitter: @JasonWBrooks2

PHOENIX — Marissa McCann probably needed to strike out 16 Campo Verde batters in order for her team to stay in the winner’s bracket Saturday.

The Willow Canyon senior’s one-hit performance Saturday at Papago Park helped the Wildcats (29-0-1), the top seed in this year’s 5A softball tournament, advance to face No. 2 seed Desert Mountain in Thursday’s next round.

McCann’s 16 strikeouts helped her outduel Campo Verde junior Addison Gavigan. She struck out 10 Wildcat batters for the No. 5 seed Coyotes (20-10), who battle Casteel on Tuesday night in an elimination-round game.

Desert Mountain advanced with a 4-0 blanking of Ironwood Ridge on Saturday.

Willow Canyon coach Donnie Tizzano said CVHS made better adjustments Saturday, but a few key hits — along with big pitches from McCann in key two-strike situations — were key factors.

“‘Riss is dominant every time she takes the circle,” Tizzano said. “We really try hard to not worry about what the umpires or the hitters are doing. We worry about what’s working for ‘Riss, at any particular moment.”

McCann improved to 18-0 as a pitcher this season with the win. She had an 0.31 ERA with only 24 hits surrendered all season coming into Saturday’s game.

She walked only one Coyote batter, and with the Wildcat defense condensing its four unofficial errors into the fourth and sixth innings, WCHS was able to hold the Coyotes scoreless.

The Wildcats’ runs came in the second inning, when Olivia DeFord’s single up the middle brought home Jenna Petersen from second base, and on a bases-loaded sacrifice fly by Harmony Andrade in the fifth, which plated De Ford.

Willow Canyon got to Gavigan for only three hits. She walked three, hit a batter and the Campo defense only made one error.

“(Gavigan)’s really good, and we knew that,” Tizzano said. “Their coaching staff is well-known. They’ve been around a long time. We didn’t see what we scouted. We stayed with our scouting report probably a little too long.”

Tizzano said it was helpful for his team to have to get through a tough, close, low-scoring game at this stage of the 5A tournament.

“You want to be tested,” he said. “You want to be able to control the nerves at big moments and the kids did that today.”

Saturday, May 6
Papago Park
5A Championships, Round 3A
WILLOW CANYON 2,  CAMPO VERDE 0
CV 000 000 0—0 1 1
WC 010 010 X—2 3 4
LOB: CV 3; WC 3. Pitching: CV, Addison Gavigan and; WC, Marissa McCann. Win: McCann (17-0). Loss: Gavigan (19-3). Leading hitters: CV, Kyla Kim, 1-3, reached on error; Brooklyn Giefski, 0-1, BB; WC, Harmony Andrade, 1-2, FC, sac fly, RBI; Olivia DeFord, 1-2, BB, R, RBI. Rec: CV 20-10; WC 29-0-1.

Jason W. Brooks
News Editor | Chandler Independent
@JasonWBrooks2

Jason W. Brooks joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in July 2021 as an associate editor. After a year covering Buckeye, he has covered Chandler since the fall of 2022, in addition to assisting the Daily Independent throughout his time at INI.

Education: University of New Mexico, bachelor of arts in journalism and mass communication, print emphasis, English minor.

Random Fact: He and his siblings witnessed a Space Shuttle launch and landing in the same year in person, on opposite coasts.

Hobbies: Karaoke, bicycling and American Sign Language.

Community: He supports animal shelters.