In a showdown between a top seed and a Cinderella story, No. 1 Salpointe Catholic made sure there was no room for magic. Fueled by a five-run first inning, the Lancers cruised to an 8-0 win over No. 14 Flagstaff in the 4A state championship game on Monday.

Both teams made the long trek—over two hours each—to reach the title game, but it was Salpointe that looked the more prepared from the start. The Lancers wasted no time jumping on Flagstaff starter Connor Iniguez. Colton Raetzman (4A All-Conference POTY) ignited the early outburst with some crucial hits. Aciel Guillen (Pima CC Commit) followed with an RBI single, and Salpointe tacked on two more runs with doubles from David Driskill and Anthony Milo (New Mexico State Commit) , taking a commanding 5-0 lead in the opening frame.

Salpointe added another run in the second inning on a balk by Iniguez, and stretched the lead to 8-0 in the third thanks to a Flagstaff error. From there, Lancer ace Lucas Shannon (San Diego Commit) took over and never let Flagstaff back into the game.

Shannon delivered a lights out performance on the mound, tossing a complete-game shutout. The right-hander scattered just two hits over seven innings, striking out eight without issuing a walk. His command and poise set the tone from the first pitch.

Offensively, Salpointe was steady and efficient. Aciel Guillen led the way with a 2-for-3 effort at the plate. While Colton Raetzman added a pair of RBIs, including a two-run inside-the-park home run that ignited the Lancers’ big first inning. In total, Salpointe collected eight hits, capitalizing on early opportunities and applying consistent pressure throughout the game. 

While the scoreboard told one story, Flagstaff’s journey was another. Entering the playoffs as the 14th seed, the Eagles defied expectations with an impressive run to the championship game. Christian Welker and Will Carpenter each recorded a hit, batting back-to-back in the lineup and providing some of the team’s few bright spots at the plate. Both athletes are entering their senior year with intentions to return to the big stage.

Connor Iniguez pitched all six innings for Flagstaff, allowing eight runs,five of them earned, on eight hits. He struck out five and walked one in a tough effort against one of the state’s most balanced lineups.

For Salpointe Catholic, the victory was a fitting end to a dominant season. With clutch hitting, and a lights-out performance from their ace, the Lancers proved exactly why they were the top seed in 4A baseball.