TEMPE, AZ — In a rematch of the 2025 6A state championship, Corona del Sol made a statement Friday night, taking down nationally-ranked Casteel in a 15-3 mercy-rule victory in five innings.

Despite the hype surrounding the matchup, the Aztecs approached the game with a businesslike mentality, which showed from the opening inning.

Corona del Sol struck first in the top of the first after senior Parker Williams delivered an RBI single to score Kellan Tom, giving the Aztecs an early 1-0 lead. Junior pitcher Conor Rae then set the tone on the mound, shutting down Casteel’s offense in the opening frame.

The Aztecs added another run in the third when Colton Floyd ripped an RBI double to left field, extending the lead to 2-0.

Casteel answered in the bottom half of the inning, tying the game at 2-2 behind RBI hits from Ryan Harwood and Blake Gonzales, briefly swinging momentum toward the Colts.

That momentum did not last long.

Corona del Sol exploded in the fourth inning, turning the game on its head with a five-run frame. The Aztecs loaded the bases and capitalized repeatedly, using disciplined at-bats and aggressive baserunning to build separation. RBI opportunities from Rae, Ben Jacobus, and Parker Williams, combined with a wild pitch that allowed Santi Morales to score, pushed Corona del Sol ahead 7-2.

Casteel scratched across one run in the bottom of the inning, but the Aztecs delivered the knockout blow in the fifth.

Rae opened the inning with a two-RBI double before Tom added another RBI extra-base hit. Then came the dagger: Floyd crushed a two-run home run over the center-field wall, blowing the game open and silencing the Colts’ dugout.

Corona del Sol continued to pour it on as Morales added a two-RBI single later in the inning, capping an eight-run fifth and stretching the lead to 15-3.

With the mercy-rule threshold in play, Rae returned to the mound and slammed the door shut, retiring Casteel in the bottom of the fifth to secure the run-rule victory.

Rae starred in all facets for Corona del Sol, delivering both on the mound and at the plate in one of the Aztecs’ most complete performances of the season.

The win extends Corona del Sol’s winning streak to four games as the defending 6A champions continue their push toward another state title. The Aztecs improved to 16-5 on the season, while Casteel fell to 16-4.