Things didn’t look too good for the Surprise Saguaros during Friday’s AFL Championship game. They trailed the Peoria Javelinas 4-0 going to the bottom of the sixth inning, but it turned out that the Saguaros had them right where they wanted them. With two runs in the bottom of the sixth and a seven run bottom of the eighth, the Saguaros won the AFL championship at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick in Arizona, beating the Peoria Javelinas 9-4.

Phillies prospects Dante Nori and Dylan Campbell both played in the game with Nori going 0-for-2 and Campbell going 1-for-1 with two walks, a run scored, and an RBI in the game. Pitchers Daniel Harper and Jaydenn Estanista both pitched well in relief for the Saguaros.

SCOUTING REPORTS: Dylan Campbell | Dante Nori

In the sixth, Surprise loaded the bases with nobody out and Blake Mitchell (Kansas City) lifted a sacrifice fly to left that scored Daniel Vazquez (Kansas City) and allowed Dylan Dreiling (Texas) to move to third base, making it 4-1. Campbell followed with a sacrifice fly to center that scored Dreiling and cut the Javelinas lead to 4-2.

Estanista pitched the top of the seventh for the Saguaros and allowed just a walk to keep the score where it was at coming into the inning. Surprise failed to score in their half of the seventh and Edwin Jimenez (Milwaukee) put down Peoria in order in the top of the eighth. It was then that the Saguaros bats truly came to life.

SCOUTING REPORT: Jaydenn Estanista

With one out in the bottom of the eighth, Campbell walked with runners on first and third to load the bases. A double from Josh Adamczewski brought in two runs to tie the game 4-4. Juan Benjamin (Cleveland) delivered a two-run double to give Surprise their first lead of the day at 6-4. Later in the inning, Chandler Pollard (Texas), Dreiling, and Luke Adams (Milwaukee) would all deliver RBI singles to make it 9-4.

Jimenez came out to pitch the ninth for the Saguaros and allowed a one out single, but retired the side without a run scoring to collect the win.

Harper pitched a scoreless fourth inning for Surprise, walking one batter and striking out two.

SCOUTING REPORT: Daniel Harper

The Surprise roster is made up of prospects from the Phillies, Brewers, Guardians, Royals, and Rangers. While not playing in the championship game, infielder Bryan Rincon and pitchers Eiberson Castellano, Jack Dallas and Tommy McCollum. Pitcher Danyony Pulido was a late addition to the Javelinas roster.

SCOUTING REPORTS: Bryan Rincon | Eiberson Castellano | Jack Dallas | Tommy McCollum