Salpointe took control of the 4A Kino Region with an 18-0 win at Ironwood Ridge on Tuesday. Salpointe (5-1 in ranking games, 3-0 in region play) came into the contest ranked No. 9 in the 4A Conference and the Nighthawks came in ranked No. 4 with a 6-2 and 2-1 record. The rankings will be adjusted from Tuesday through Friday every week so expect some movement on Wednesday when the next set of numbers are released. The AIA does not factor in invitational results as MaxPreps does, as such, the AIA rankings are the official rankings.

The Lancers scored six runs in the top of the first and didn’t look back behind the pitching of junior Macee Jackson (7-2). Jackson threw five innings with seven strikeouts and only to hits given up. At the plate, sophomore Isabel Otero went 2-3 with two home runs and four RBI to help lead the Nighthawk attack.

University of Arizona commit Molli Daley went 3-4 with a double and two RBI, senior Leylani Cuesta went 2-3 with a home run and a double, senior Izzy Soto went 3-4 with two doubles, junior Soli Ramos went 2-2 with two RBI and senior Brooke Wild went 2-4 with a home run and five RBI.

For Ironwood Ridge, senior Mia Gutierrez went 1-2 and senior Elizabeth Smith had a double. Gutierrez, an Army commit, has nine home runs this year. Junior Teah Valencia (4-3) and junior Hayden Bores (6-1) took the circle for the Nighthawks.

The two teams will meet again Wednesday night at Salpointe under the new scheduling system for regional play. Ironwood Ridge is now in the 4A Conference for the first time after winning three state championships and earning four runner-up finishes in the Division II and 5A levels dating back to 2008.

The 4A Kino Region is revamped with only Salpointe and Sahuaro remaining from last year. Pueblo, Flowing Wells and Canyon del Oro are all in the 5A Conference now. Salpointe, Ironwood Ridge, Walden Grove, Mica Mountain and Sahuaro make up the region this spring.