Lady Bulldogs’ Hopes For State Title Are Dashed By Lady Yellowjackets

By Sam Conner
   The Winslow Lady Bulldogs defeated the Safford Lady Bulldogs 4-2 in the semifinals of the Arizona State 3A Conference Softball tournament in Phoenix last Friday, then fell to the top ranked Blue Ridge Lady Yellowjackets in the championship game Saturday, 7-3.
   Jennifer Yazzie got the win, allowing two runs on seven hits and three walks. She fanned 13 Safford batters.
   Winslow took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning on a single by Gabrielle Stacey, a walk and three Safford errors. The only RBI came on a sacrifice fly by Felicia Nagle.
   The top of the sixth inning saw Winslow double its lead to 4-0. A walk, singles by Kyli Parsons and Mallory Smith, and two Safford errors figured in the scoring.
   Safford cut the lead to 4-2 in the bottom of the sixth on singles by Ellyssa Estrada, Andrea Zuniga Romero and Haley McEwan.
   Yazzie put a few butterflies in the Winslow fans’ stomachs when she walked her only three batters in the game. She ended the concern and the game by striking out the other three batters in the inning.
   Smith was two for three at the plate for Winslow. Mariah Guzman was one for two. Parsons was one for three. Stacy and Yazzie were each one for four.
   The Lady Yelowjackets defeated Estrella Foothills 11-7 in another Friday game to earn a place in the title game.
   Blue Ridge’s Leah Hall got the win over Yazzie Saturday, with both needing relief help. Errors and brilliant fielding played significant roles for both teams.
   Blue Ridge took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning on a single by Anya Widmaer, a sacrifice bunt by Hall and two wild pitches.
   Winslow tied the game in the second when Yazzie reached on an error and scored on singles by Bernice Gover and Parsons.
   The Lady Bulldogs went up 3-1 in the top of the third inning on singles by Mireya Ulibarri and Stacey, three Blue Ridge errors and a single by Gover.
   The Lady Yellow Jackets cut the lead to 3-2 in the bottom of the third on an error and doubles by Hall and Kelsi Graham. Only a great play by Winslow center fielder Mariah Guzman kept the damage from being much greater. She leaned over the fence and robbed Bonnie Nelson of a home run, then doubled up Graham, who tagged late and was out at third.
   Blue Ridge regained the lead at 4-3 in the bottom of the fifth on a home run by Widmaer, a single by Hall and a double by Nelson.
   A superb catch of a likely extra base hit by Gover turned in by Anya Martin played a key role in keeping Blue Ridge in the lead in the top of the sixth.
   The Lady Yellowjackets plated important insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth to increase the lead to 7-3. Martin walked. Laree Cannon bunted her to second and was safe on a fielder’s choice. There was an error before Widmaer singled in a pair of runs. The final score came on a wild pitch.
   Widmaer was three for four with a home run for Blue Ridge. Hall was two for three. Martin and Cannon were each two for three. Nelson was one for four with a double. Graham also had a double.
   Gover and Ulibarri were each two for three for Winslow. Stacey was two for four with a double. Parsons and Jacobs were each one for three.