Arizona high school softball playoffs: Who's still in the hunt?

The Arizona high school softball playoffs are kicking into full gear this week, ahead of championship games at Arizona State’s Farrington Stadium on Saturday and Monday.

If you like upsets, the 6A playoffs have been for you. If you’re a fan of dominant pitching, 5A has had plenty. And if Tucson sports are your thing, 4A has been the conference.

So where do each of these tournaments stand? And who is going to bring home the golden gloves? The Arizona Republic breaks it all down:

6A conference

The favorite in 6A two weeks ago was No. 1 seed Mesa Red Mountain, a team that dominated the regular season, losing just twice. The postseason, though, proved less kind for the Mountain Lions. They couldn’t get enough offense going, scoring just 2.5 runs per game and ultimately suffering a stunning elimination at the hands of No. 16 seed Tempe Corona del Sol.

So where does that leave things?

Well, No. 2 seed Chandler Basha — the reigning state champion — was knocked out by No. 10 seed Tucson High over the weekend, in large part because it was without its ace, Natalie Fritz. So the two teams that have booked their place in the semifinals are No. 3 seed Queen Creek and No. 4 seed Phoenix Xavier Prep.

Queen Creek got here thanks to a thrilling 7-6 win over No. 7 Phoenix Pinnacle on Friday, and can now rely on ace Jenae Berry. Xavier Prep has gotten some helpful pitching, but is mostly reliant on an offense led by slugger Lauren Putz. Opposing pitchers have walked her nine times in three playoff games, but when given pitches to hit, she’s 2 for 4 with a double and a home run.

Both those schools will need to win just one of two semifinal games to reach the championship. Their opponents will be determined in a pair of fun elimination games: No. 10 Tucson High at No. Pinnacle and No. 16 Corona del Sol at No. 8 Chandler Hamilton.

The champion pick: Xavier Prep

5A conference

The question here has been the same since the moment Lilly Goodwin stepped on a high school field last spring: Can anyone stop Scottsdale Desert Mountain?

So far, the answer has — once again — been a resounding no. The sophomore has a 1.00 ERA in the Mountain Wolves’ three playoff games, but even that doesn’t fully capture her dominance. She’s also struck out 43 batters — over two per inning. Opposing hitters simply haven’t had a chance.

No. 3 Canyon View, which has booked a spot in the other semifinal, could be the team to change that. The Jaguars have scored 30 runs in three games. Sophomore Rylen Buchberger is 6 for 10 with a homer and two doubles in the playoffs, while senior Meghan Sidell is 7 for 10 with a homer and a double.

Don’t rule out No. 4 Willow Canyon, either. The Wildcats couldn’t solve Desert Mountain on Saturday but freshman Aubrey Kautman has pitched excellently. They’ll take on No. 5 Vail Cienega in one of two elimination games Wednesday night. The other is No. 2 Scottsdale Chaparral vs. No. 6 Gilbert Campo Verde.

The champion pick: Desert Mountain

4A conference

From the start, the seeding never seemed right here. Two Tucson schools — Canyon del Oro and Salpointe Catholic — were the best teams in the conference all season, but got stuck with the No. 3 and No. 4 seeds.

Now, two weeks later, they’re on a championship collision course anyway. Predictably, both schools have been led by pitching staffs that have allowed just four runs in their three games.

For Canyon del Oro, that pitching has been led by star junior Amelia Streuber. For Salpointe Catholic, it’s been a group effort. After using a four-deep rotation all season, the Lancers have alternated starts between sophomore Macee Jackson and senior Arianna Flores. Jackson has been particularly impressive, with 31 strikeouts in 16 innings of three-run ball.

While it’s difficult to see anyone knocking off these two schools, the semifinals will be set after two elimination games: No. 2 Phoenix Arcadia vs. No. 7 Tucson Mica Mountain and No. 1 Mesa Eastmark vs. No. 5 Flagstaff Coconino.

If the championship does end up featuring the two Tucson powerhouses, it’s worth remembering that Canyon del Oro won all three regular-season matchups, although Salpointe Catholic is the five-time reigning state champion.

Champion pick: Canyon del Oro

3A conference

There’s only one game left to play in 3A: Saturday’s state championship between No. 1 Chandler Valley Christian and No. 7 Tucson Empire. Despite Empire’s impressive underdog run to this stage, Valley Christian is hard to pick against. The Trojans have outscored their opponents 23-1 in the playoffs.

Champion pick: Valley Christian

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: What's happening in Arizona high school softball playoffs?