Cienega came back in dramatic fashion to defeat Canyon View 9-8 in the championship game of the Lancer Baseball Classic held at the Annex Complex in Tucson this week. Pool play started on Monday and the semifinals and championship game took place on Friday. Cienega went 6-0 and Canyon View went 5-1 at the tournament hosted by Salpointe with both teams playing an extra inning to decide the championship final.

Cienega scored three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning on an error and a 2-RBI triple from Anthony Montez. Canyon View tied things up in the top of the fifth inning on an error, an RBI from Isaiah Santoyo, a sacrifice from Ty Spire and then another sacrifice from Bo DeWitt.

Cienega took what looked to be enough for the win on a run in the bottom of the fifth on a sacrifice fly from Ryan Fulcher but the 4-3 lead was flipped when Spire hit a 2-RBI triple with two outs to give Canyon View a 5-4 lead in the top of the seventh. An error put Manny Bracamonte on base to start the bottom half of the inning for Cienega and he moved over to second on a balk where he scored on an RBI from Nano Lopez. Lopez was cut down at home on a throw from Gregory Mattison to Colin Mowrey after Joey Staiger singled to right field. The throw preserved the tie and the game went to the eighth inning.

Bo DeWitt was placed at second base per extra-inning rules and then Luke DeWitt reached on an infield error to put two on with no outs. A strikeout and a pop fly followed but Mowrey knocked in Bo DeWitt and Lucas Swanson to give Canyon View a 7-5 lead with two outs. Santoyo brought in another run to give the Jaguars a commanding 8-5 lead.

Futcher was placed at second base and then Liam Schmidt reached on a fielder’s choice. AB Wach singled to put two on with one out and then Montez reached on an infield error to score Schmidt. The play gave the Bobcats new hope and Lute Chavez delivered an RBI single to cut the lead down to 8-7. A groundout moved both runners over and then Lopez was intentionally walked to load the bases with two outs.

Staiger reached on an infield hit to tie the game up 8-8 and Chavez dashed home on the play from second base for the 9-8 victory. Landon Hood and Ashton Davis took the mound for the Jaguars. Swanson went 2-3, Mowrey went 2-4 with 2 RBI, Santoyo went 2-4 with 2 RBI and Spire had 3 RBI and a triple. Jake Riesgo threw seven innings for Cienega and Schmidt took over in the eighth. Montez went 2-4 with 2 RBI and a triple, Staiger went 3-5, and Zak Vasquez went 2-4.

Cienega (4-0 in ranking games) travels to play Catalina Foothills (3-1) on Monday and Canyon View (3-2) hosts Millennium (1-5) on Tuesday. Cienega has completed tournament play this year but Canyon View will take part in the Coach Bob National Invitational hosted by Casteel from March 21-29.