Sedona Red Rock High School’s first sectional championship and a Division IV state quarterfinal finish yielded the appropriate postseason honors Saturday, May 14.
That was when top Scorpions pitcher Randy Rodriguez was named first team all-Section I, joining seniors Justice Keane and Garrison Skornik.
“Randy pitched his heart out this season,” head coach Craig Eagle said. “He showed so much passion and fire on the mound.”
Rodriguez, who will begin his senior year as top Scorpions pitcher for the second straight season, won 10 games and struck out 84 batters on the season — both top-three marks in Section I.
Eagle is especially excited to see how much sophomore all-section second-teamer Wyatt Ross will improve as catcher for Rodriguez, who finished second in all-Section voting for pitchers to Camp Verde High School senior and Player of the Year Logan Conrad.
“Wyatt was our best contact hitter and RBI man,” Eagle said of his “iron man” catcher, who started every game and had 28 runs batted in to tie for third in Section I. “We can always rely on him to make contact and get something started.”
Keane, a two-year starter for the Scorpions, was moved this season to center field from second base.
He would respond with five home runs, tying two players from state champion Apache Junction High School for the most in Division IV.
“Justice was outstanding at the plate and on the base paths,” Eagle said. “His home runs this year were [a] major uplifter for our season.”
As No. 2 pitcher in the SRRHS rotation, Skornik took the season-ending loss to Pueblo Magnet High School. But he was as potent as Keane or Rodriguez at the plate.
“His offensive output really took us to this great season,” Eagle said of his starting senior shortstop, second in the section with 35 runs scored. “All aspects of his game got better.”
Including three home runs — one of which was an April 8 game-winner, 340 feet out of Chinle High School’s field.
This was the shot heard around Section I as it put the Scorpions in the lead for the title, never to look back.
“[I’m] very proud of his effort this season,” Eagle added, “and all the hard work he put in.”
For all Sedona Red Rock High School all-section honorees and their statistics, please see the Friday, May 20, issue of the Sedona Red Rock News.
