Hayden captures 11th state baseball championship, holds off Lincoln Prep for 1A crown
Generations of families grow up in Winkelman, Arizona with baseball championship expectations.
The Hayden Lobos raised yet another trophy Saturday, scoring 12 runs in the first two innings, and holding off Chandler Lincoln Prep 14-8 for the 1A title at Tempe Diablo Stadium.
This was Hayden's 17 state championship appearances, its 11th overall state title and second in a row in the 1A ranks.
"You play at Hayden, it's like playing in Yankee Stadium," coach Robert Lorona said. "You better win. The expectations are high. They've got some history."
Hayden's first state championship appearance dates back to 1955. Its first title came in 1959. Its second came in 1961, when Bob Lorona was the coach.
The Lorona family bonded on the Hayden baseball field.
Robert Lorona, Bob's son, is now 2-0 in state championship appearances the last two seasons.
"My dad was a coach at Hayden, my brother was a coach at Hayden," Lorona said. "It's tradition."
And on Saturday, Lorona's nephew, sophomore Kino Lorona, had the big hit in the first inning to get the Lobos' offensive machine started. He ripped a shot over the center fielder's head and cruised around the bases for an inside-the-park three-run homer.
Rene Ochoa then tripled and scored as freshman Darren Smith singled.
A 4-0 lead after one inning became 12-0 after two innings, as Hayden batted 12 men in the second inning, scoring eight runs. There were three walks and five hits in the inning.
For Lincoln Prep, this was the school's first time ever playing in an Arizona Interscholastic Association state championship game — in any sport.
The Lightning (15-9) refused to cave after the first two innings. It scored three runs in the third, added three more in the fourth and two in the fifth to make it competitive. Freshman Jacoby Weiss had two hits and drove in two runs and Michael DeBratto drove in two runs for Lincoln Prep.
"That's been the story of the playoffs," coach Paul Schubring said. "We got down five to Desert (Christian) and came back. Then, (against Anthem Prep), we came back twice."
As the 11 seed, Lincoln Prep wasn't supposed to get this far. But the Lightning knocked off No. 6 San Manuel 9-1, No. 3 Tucson Desert Christian 9-5 and No. 7 Anthem Prep 8-7 to get to the championship game.
Hayden (23-5), the No. 4 seed, held its first three opponents in the single-elimination tournament to a total of five runs, breaking away from No. 1 Bagdad on Friday night with five runs late after Bagdad ace Shane Hooper left with the score tied 3-3.
"We just hung in there and our young pitchers came in there and did a good job," Lorona said. "
Smith, a freshman, finished the game on the mound for Hayden, after coming in to pitch in the fourth innings. He retired 10 of the last 11 batters he faced.
"It's rough for a freshman to be out there with that pressure, but the kids are unbelievable," Lorona said.
To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert atrichard.obert@arizonarepublic.com or 602-316-8827. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter:@azc_obert
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Hayden baseball goes back-to-back in 1A, captures 11th overall title
