Lady Lobos Take Third In Tough Winslow Tourney

By Greg Perkins
   What a week for the Lady Lobos! The Snowflake squad played nine softball games last week, with eight of those coming in the Winslow Tournament held Thursday through Saturday. During that span Coach Joni Austin’s team posted a record of 7-2 and came home from the tournament with a third place overall finish.
   The week started relatively easily for the Lady Lobos as they took down visiting Window Rock, with Shaylee Yellowhair pitching a complete game shutout over the Lady Scouts. Yellowhair faced just one more than the minimum. gave up just two hits and had 13 strike outs in the game. Snowflake scored single runs in the first, third and fifth innings, then added three runs in the sixth to secure the 6-0 win.
   Charece Larson was three for three at the plate with two doubles. Tessa Ellsworth went two for three with a double, two RBIs and scored a run. Riley Ferrell was two for three and scored a run. Reagan God-frey went two for four and scored three runs. Karina Haught went one for three, scored a run and had an RBI. Yellowhair went one for three with an RBI.
Window Rock      000 000 0 0
Snowflake            101 013 x   6
   Thursday was the beginning of a busy stretch for the Lady Lobos. Their first game at the Winslow tour-nament was with Greyhills, and once again Yellowhair was in complete control in the circle, pitching an-other complete game shutout as Snowflake won 7-0. This time she faced 23 batters with 14 strike outs and two walks, and she gave up no hits.
   Snowflake scored three runs in the first inning and added three more in the sixth to get the 7-0 win.
   At the plate, Godfrey went three for four with a double, three runs scored and two RBIs. Yellowhair went two for four, including a home run, and had four RBIs. Ellsworth was one for two. Larson went one for three with a double, an RBI and scored a run. Haught was one for four with an RBI. Nicole Baldwin walked twice and scored a run.
Greyhills               000 000 0 0
Snowflake             310 003 x 7
   In their second of Thursday’s three games, the Lady Lobos had another strong showing with a 6-0, five-inning win over Chino Valley.
   Snowflake scored twice in the second and added three more in the third, which was more than enough with Yellowhair once again in control. This time she worked four innings, faced 15 batters, and gave up just two hits with six strike outs.
   Godfrey was two for three and scored. Cassidy Adair went one for two with a double and scored a run. Ellsworth went one for three, scored and had two RBIs. Haught went one for three with a triple and scored. Lewis was one for three with an RBI and scored. Larson was one for three with two RBIs. Yellowhair went one for three and scored a run.
Chino Valley             000 00   0
Snowflake                 023 1x    6
   Their final game on Thursday resulted in their first loss of the week as Camp Verde was able to get to Yellowhair for four runs, three of them earned, on six hits.
   The Lady Lobos took the early lead with a run in the first inning, but runs by the Lady Cowboys in the third, fourth, fifth and sixth innings were enough to hand Snowflake the 4-3 loss.
   Yellowhair had six strike outs and gave up just one walk in the 24 batters she faced.
   Charece Larson went two for three at the plate. Yellowhair went one for three with a double, an RBI and scored twice. Godfrey went one for three and scored. Ellsworth, Haught, Lewis, and Adair were each one for three.
Camp Verde         001 111 0   4
Snowflake            100 020 0    3
   Playing just one game on Friday in windy conditions, the Lady Lobos bounced back with a close 4-3 win over Tuba City.
   Snowflake was up 4-0 going into the seventh, but a late three-run rally by the Lady Warriors made the game close.
   Yellowhair again worked the circle, pitching six innings, where she faced 24 batters, giving up three runs, two of them earned on two hits with two walks and 11 strike outs.
   At the plate, Haylee Kelley was one for one with a double. Olivia Lewis went two for three with four RBIs. Ferrell went two for three and scored a run. Haught was two for three. Baldwin and Yellowhair each went one for three and scored. Ellsworth was one for three. Godfrey went one for four and scored.
Tuba City                 000 003    3
Snowflake                102 01x   4
   On Saturday, the Lady Lobos played four games, winning three of them.
   They started the day against Holbrook and easily took down the Lady Roadrunners by a final of 8-0.
   Snowflake scored once in the third to take the lead, then added four in the fourth, two in the fifth and one in the sixth to get the win.
   Yellowhair had another strong showing with a seven-inning shutout. She faced 25 batters, walked just two and had 11 strike outs.
   At the plate, Ellsworth was three for four with two RBIs. Yellowhair helped herself by going two for four with a triple, an RBI and scored three times. Ferrell and Adair each went one for three, scored twice and had two RBIs. Larson and Godfrey each went one for four with a double and scored a run. Baldwin went one for four with an RBI.
Holbrook               000 000 0 0
Snowflake             001 421 x 8
   Next up came Sinagua and this game was a little closer, but still with the same result, a Snowflake win at 4-1.
   After two scoreless innings, Sinagua took the first lead with a run in the third. Snowflake answered with two of its own in that inning and never trailed. The Lady Lobos added insurance runs in the fifth and sixth, but it was insurance they wouldn’t need with Yellowhair again in the circle. She worked all seven innings, faced 26 batters and gave up just the one run, which was unearned. She allowed two hits, with two walks and had eight strike outs.
   Yellowhair went two for three with a pair of doubles and scored twice. Lewis was two for three and scored. Haught went one for three and scored. Alex Merrell and Tory Gorman both did their part by steal-ing two bases each.
Sinagua                 001 000 0 1
Snowflake             002 011 x 4
   That win put the Lady Lobos into the semifinal round of the bracket where they faced Joseph City.
   With Yellowhair getting some much needed rest early in the game, the Lady Wildcats were able to off-set two Snowflake first inning runs with four runs in the third inning to take a 5-2 lead. Yellowhair pitched the final five innings, but the damage had been done and Snowflake took the loss, 5-3.
   Godfrey pitched the first two innings, faced 13 batters and gave up five runs, four of them earned. She had one walk and one strike out. Yellowhair faced 17 batters, gave up no runs and just three hits, and had six strike outs.
   Baldwin was three for four at the plate with a double and scored twice. Adair went two for three. Yel-lowhair went two for four with a double, scored and had an RBI. Haught went one for three with a triple and two RBIs. Ellsworth went one for three.
Joseph City           014 000 0 5
Snowflake            200 010 0   3
   That loss put the Lady Lobos into the third place game, where they faced Camp Verde for the second time in the tournament.
   This time around they were able to avenge the earlier loss, taking down the Lady Cowboys by a 9-1 final score to claim third place in the 18-team field. Snowflake scored twice in the first, added two more in the third and piled on four in the fourth inning to get the big lead.
   With Yellowhair in the circle that lead was more than enough. She worked six innings, faced 24 batters and gave up just one run, which was unearned. She allowed two hits with one walk and had 10 strike outs.
   At the plate, Godfrey went three for four and scored twice. Yellowhair went two for four, including a home run, a triple, four RBIs and scored twice. Lewis was two for four, scored twice and had an RBI. Adair went one for three and scored a run. Ellsworth and Ferrell each went one for three. Haught went one for four.
Camp Verde         000 100   0 1
Snowflake            202 401 x   9
   “This was a big tournament for us. Between all the games we played and all the down time waiting to play games, it was a long weekend. Overall, it was a great learning experience for our team. It gave us a lot of playing time on the field and a chance to play together as a team. With all the game time we got I am now fairly secure in where we are as a team heading into our conference season,” said Coach Austin.
   Shaylee Yellowhair, Olivia Lewis and Nicole Baldwin were all named to the all tournament team.
   The Lady Lobos now stand at 9-4 on the season. After opening conference play at home against Alche-say on Tuesday, they will play in Holbrook on Friday, March 21. Following a week off for spring break, they will play in the Haught Invitational tournament in Payson beginning on Friday, March 28.