PRESCOTT — Kaitlyn Tso continued to work her way up the state’s all-time career strikeout leaderboard and propelled No. 1-seeded Coconino to the 4A state championship game with a 13-2 victory over Poston Butte on Thursday night.

The senior pitched a complete game, allowing only two runs on three hits and recording eight strikeouts, giving her 1,100 even for her career for sixth all time behind former Benson standout Megan Ellsworth (5th, 1,139).

Coconino coach Kimberly Dennis said Tso’s ability to come up big when the team needs her most speaks to her “leadership” abilities.

“Her leadership continues to get stronger with each game and she is trusting her teammates, which makes her successful on both sides of the ball,” Dennis said.

Tso also went 2 for 3 with a double and five RBIs on Thursday in the 4A state semifinals, while Danica Kern was 3 for 4 with three runs scored. Katelynn Yazzie and Aryanna Dominguez each hit a home run to lead the 14-hit attack by the Panthers.

Coconino (29-4, 12-0 4A Grand Canyon) has played close games for much of the playoffs up until Thursday’s onslaught, defeating No. 16 Deer Valley 3-0, No. 9 Eastmark 2-1 and No. 5 Sahuarita 3-2.

“The big moment today was how much love we all have for the game. We came together as a team offensively and defensively,” Tso said via text to AzPreps365.com after the 13-2 win over No. 14 Poston Butte.

Tso said their goal in the 4A title game against No. 2-seeded Salpointe Catholic will be to come out hitting and scoring “as soon as possible.”

“It’s our last game of the season and for us seniors, it’s our last game ever in this program. We always tell each other to have fun and enjoy the moment, but be ourselves too,” Tso said.

Coconino has made only one state championship appearance in program history, a 10-0 loss to Sahuaro in 1989.

Dennis said the team will need to have “confidence and trust the process” if they are to finally come out on top.

“We need to continue being us and playing for each other,” Dennis said.

First pitch Saturday at Farrington Stadium on the campus of Arizona State University in Tempe is set for 7 p.m.

Brian M. Bergner Jr. has covered professional, collegiate and high school sports for more than 20 years. Follow him on X at @AzPreps365Brian or on Facebook at @Five2MediaWorks. Have a story idea? Email Brian at bbergner@azpreps365.com.