By Greg Perkins –
The Lady Wildcats dropped a one-run decision to rival Mogollon last week, then ended the season by rolling over Valley in a doubleheader and are headed to the Division IV State Softball Tournament as the 22nd seed.
Playing in Heber last Tuesday, the Lady Cats jumped on top of the Lady Mustangs early and led 8-1 after just two innings. Unfortunately, those eight runs were all they could come up with before losing 9-8. Mogollon pulled ahead with three runs after the third, then chipped away through the next three innings to tie the game at 8-8 heading to the seventh. The Lady Mustangs then scored the winning run in the home half of the final frame.
Taylor Hill worked four innings in the circle for the Lady Cats, where she faced 19 batters. She gave up four runs, all earned, on seven hits and had three strikeouts. Harlie Blosser worked three innings, facing 16 batters. She allowed five runs, only four earned, on six hits with a pair of strikeouts.
Hill helped herself at the plate, going three for four and scoring twice. Brandi Cline was two for four with two RBIs and scored twice. Brooke Baldwin went two for four with a double and scored twice. Blosser went one for four with a double and walked once. Krista Edwards was zero for four, but drew one walk and scored. Sierra Johnstun went zero for four, but walked and later scored.
Joseph City 530 000 0 8
Mogollon 104 102 1 9
The next day, the Lady Wildcats closed out the regular season by sweeping both games of a doubleheader from visiting Sanders.
In the first game the Lady Cats piled up 15 runs through just four innings to win 15-0. Hill shut out the Lady Pirates, allowing just three hits in four innings of work. She walked just one and had five strikeouts.
At the plate Joseph City pounded out 10 extra base hits with several players contributing. Johnstun went two for three with a double, a triple, three RBIs and scored three runs. Hill was one for four with a double, two walks, an RBI and scored twice. Cline went one for three with a double, a walk, an RBI and scored twice. Payton Tanner was two for three and scored once. Blosser went one for three with a double, a walk, an RBI and scored twice. Sharon Larsen went one for two with a double and scored once. Rochelle Becenti went one for two with an RBI and scored once. Baldwin went two for three with two doubles, an RBI and scored once. Edwards was two for three with a triple, a walk, two RBIs and scored three runs. Kymber Flake went one for one with a double.
Valley 000 00 0
Joseph City 571 2x 15
The second game went much like the first, although this time Valley did score in the 24-4 loss. Joseph City pounded the ball in every inning again.
Johnstun went two for four with a double, a walk, two RBIs and scored twice. Hill was four for five with a home run and a double, and scored four runs. Cline went two for five and scored four runs. Tanner was three for four with a triple and scored once. Blosser went three for five with a home run, a triple, three RBIs and scored three runs. Mackenzie Weishan went one for four, walked twice, had an RBI and scored once. Baldwin was four for five with a home run, a triple, an RBI and scored three runs. Edwards went four for five with a double, a triple, an RBI and scored four runs. Flake was two for four with a double, a walk, an RBI and scored twice.
Blooser worked three innings, facing 14 batters. She gave up one unearned run with three hits and one walk. Edwards pitched one inning facing eight batters. She allowed three runs, all unearned, with no hits, had five walks and struck out one.
Joseph City ended the regular season with an overall record of 15-13.
As the 22nd seed, the Lady Cats will face No. 11 Valley Union at 4 o’clock this afternoon (May 2) on field No. 6 of the Rose Mofford Complex in Phoenix. If they pull the upset, they will face No. 6 St. Johns at 4 p.m. on Friday. A win there would put them in Saturday’s quarterfinal round.
