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Corona sports update
Aztecs look to snap out of funk, gear up for postseason

By Brian Gomez

Following an inconsistent week-long stretch in Central Region play during which the Corona del Sol varsity baseball team notched a pair of wins and dropped two games, the attention has been turned toward the final week of the season and ensuing Regional Tournament.

The Aztecs (19-7, 6-2 region) started their stretch run April 5 with a victory over Mountain Pointe, only to lose four days later.

They then edged out Desert Vista, but suffered a setback the very next day. The sporadic play has caused Corona head coach Ron Davini to feel uneasy with the postseason less than two weeks away.

“We could be much better. Right now, we’re in a little bit of a spin,” Davini said. “I hope we can get things going in the right direction. You want to have on all the afterburners for these last four weeks.”

Davini’s logic is sound, since the upcoming week will undoubtedly shape Corona’s entire season.

At press time, the Aztecs were in second place in the Central Region with three games left against Desert Mountain (Friday), Mountain Pointe (Tuesday) and Desert Vista (Thursday).

“We just got into the swing of things, but I hope we still have better strides in front of us,” Davini said. “The whole crux is sitting right in front of us.”

Three teams from the Central Region are guaranteed spots in the state tournament, which will be held May 6-11.

The region’s top-seeded team receives an automatic bye in the opening round, while the Nos. 2 and 3 seeded teams must play.

The seedings for state will be determined in the Regional Tournament, which will take place April 30-May 4 at Tempe Diablo Stadium.

“I’ve been coaching for 25 years at Corona, and it has always come down to the last week and the last game. It’s a tough region and it’s everything we thought it was going to be,” Davini said.

“We would just like to keep a cool head and stay focused. It’s always hard not to look over your shoulder, but you can’t do that. You’ve got to take it one game at a time.

“Everyone’s sights are set on the No. 1 seed. We would like to win the region championship, but there are a lot of obstacles in our way.”

The Aztecs have continued to receive solid performances from Matt Michael, who is 6-2 on the season. The senior left-hander has established himself as the anchor of Corona’s staff.

Michael has not only gotten the job done on the mound, but also at the plate. He went 2-for-5 and drove in the game-winning run in the eighth inning in Corona’s 7-6 triumph over Desert Vista. Michael also blasted a two-run homer in the first when the Aztecs sustained a 4-3 loss to the Thunder.

“He’s our go-to guy on the mound and he’s been swinging the bat very well for us,” Davini said. “He could swing better, but it’s hard to do both things.”

Senior center fielder Brian Smith has also provided a spark as of late. He went 3-for-4 from the plate with a double and two RBI in Corona’s 5-1 victory versus Mountain Pointe.

“He had a quick start and kind of tapered off. Brian is starting to come into his own,” Davini said.

“It’s just a matter of him relaxing and getting his pitches at the plate.”

Michael and Smith both signed national letters of intent last week to play at Grand Canyon University. In addition to attending Corona, they also see time together on the Arizona Cubs, a local club team.

Reach the reporter at brian.gomez@wranglernews.com.

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