Home was never sweeter to Sedona Red Rock High School sophomore Ally Alver than in the last of the seventh inning on the first day of March.

That was when the infielder, after hitting a triple, stole it for the Scorpions’ first win.

Alver slid into home plate safely from third base on a dropped third strike to senior Michelle Galvez to score the winning run over Williams High School, 7-6.

Four days later, the home diamond would recover from a 22-13 Scorpions loss to Chino Valley High School with a 13-2 run-ruling of St. Johns High School in baseball’s Division IV, Section I opener Saturday, March 5.

After both teams travel Tuesday, March 8, to Glendale Preparatory Academy, the early sectional lead will be at stake Thursday, March 10, at 3:45 p.m., when head coach Craig Eagle’s varsity hosts Round Valley High School.

Softball

After getting run-ruled by Show Low High School, 17-4, in five innings in their home opener, a second straight loss loomed large to the Scorpions.

Feb. 26, a six-run first inning by the Cougars had sent head coach Mike Keider’s daughter and starting pitcher, Emma Keider, to the dugout by the second inning.

But after allowing three runs to the Vikings in the first two innings, the senior shut down Williams in the third and fourth frames before giving way to sophomore Natalie Monge.

The next inning, though, Monge would allow three more Williams runs, necessitating Alver’s heroics.

“We never had the lead until [the] last inning,” Mike Keider said. “We were down, 6-4, in the sixth with runners on second and third [base] when Emma hit a line drive into right center field and tied the game.”

Baseball

After allowing an early run to St. Johns, pitcher Randy Rodriguez would allow just one more to the Redskins, hurling a complete game March 5 to go 3-0.

“Our hitters came out hitting, and we didn’t look back,” Eagle said. “A lot of success has been coming from our great hitting, and timely pitching.”

Rodriguez struck out 11, as fellow junior Sam Serrano joined senior Corbin Pulido and sophomore Michael Ortega in the fourth-inning, seven-run hit parade with two RBIs apiece to seal the win.

“It was nice to win our first section game of the year,” said Eagle, whose Scorpions opened the season winning three of four Cougar Classic Invitational games by a combined count of 24-5. “It also feels great starting the season off 5-2.”