Bulldogs win 3A North tourney behind strong pitching, timely hits
By Manuel Jesus
Special to the Times
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(Times photo - Paul Natonabah)
Window Rock's Nick Davis (5) reaches third base safely as Winslow's Ty Hancock (13) reaches for the throw during fifth inning action at the 3A North Region baseball championship game in Winslow.
The Winslow Bulldogs baseball team got great pitching, good defense and timely hitting in Saturday's win over the Window Rock Fighting Scouts during the 3A North regional championship game in Winslow.
Window Rock, the regular season conference champions and the tournament's top seed, couldn't get the hits they needed in seven innings as Winslow senior left-hander, Efran Todacheenie kept the Scouts in check with a strong pitching performance.
"It was pretty intense," Kinlicheenie said of Saturday's game against Window Rock. "I just kind of eased into the game. I was not scared. I wanted to pitch against them."
Kinlicheenie allowed two unearned runs on six hits and five walks before being relieved in the seventh inning by Jordan Echoles, who recorded all three outs in the final inning.
On offense, Winslow hit timely singles and when coach Art Griffith called for a hit-and-run to advance runners into scoring position, the Bulldogs came through.
Window Rock starting pitcher Ty Miller, was effective on the mound for five innings, but again, Winslow got the needed hits and put their runners in scoring position.
Each time Winslow got runners on base the Bulldogs would play hit-and-run to move runners into scoring position.
"We been doing it all season long. We just put the ball in play and take advantage at what we do," said Griffith of the team's hit-and-run strategy.
Window Rock got on the board in the first inning when senior catcher Shaun Price doubled off the wall in center field to give Window Rock an early 1-0 lead after one inning.
Winslow got one run in the second inning to tie the score at one apiece. The Bulldogs then took the the lead for good in the fifth when Smith singled up the middle to score Anthony Huerta from third for a 2-1 lead. Winslow added another run on right fielder Echoles' sacrifice to up their lead to 3-1.
Scoring opportunities for Window Rock came in the bottom of the fifth inning but the Scouts only got one run. Window Rock's run came with two outs in the inning after Price lined a single to left field to get centerfielder Michael Young in from second base.
With two outs and runners in scoring position, Aaron John hit a line drive to left field. Winslow's Kirk Ramsey hustled to the ball and made a diving catch for the third out and got Kinlicheenie out of a jam but Window Rock got within one, 3-2.
With momentum building on Window Rock's side in the top of the sixth, Winslow regained their confidence and came right back with three more runs in the inning.
With two outs, when Ramsey drove the ball deep over Scouts centerfielder Young's head for a double. Ray Grabowski then hit a soft bouncer to Scouts shortstop Lacey Hickson, who fired the ball to first but was late, which moved Ramsey to third.
With runners on first and third, Winslow coach Griffith called for a hit and run play as Grabowski took off for a steal when Huerta drove the ball past Scouts second baseman Jason Yazzie, to score Ramsey from third.
With two outs and runners on first and third, Ty Hancock hit a blooper into center field as Young made an diving attempt but the ball fell bounced off his glove and with the runners moving both Grabowski and Huerta scored to make the score 6-3 in Winslow's favor.
In the bottom of the sixth, Window Rock got the first two batters on base as Scouts third baseman Daniel Billy got on base on an error and Young hit a single. Kinlicheenie then settled down and struck out the next three Scouts batters.
Winslow bats came alive again in the top of the seventh when Window Rock replaced Miller with sophomore left hander, Billison. Billison struck out the first batter then walked Tommy Gomez who later advanced to third on a single by John Gonzales on a hit and run play.
With runners on second and third, Billison was then charged with a wild pitch that scored Gomez for a 7-2 lead. Ramsey then singled to left field to score two more Bulldog runners to make the score 9-2 with one out.
After a strikeout, Winslow added three more runs as Huerta single to the left scoring Casey and finally Ty Hancock hit a single up the middle for two more runs. Billison got the third out by striking out Smith, but the damage was done as Winslow held a comfortable 11-2 lead.
"We can't have one bad game to erase a great season," Window Rock baseball coach Perry Coggin said after the game. "So we had a bad game. We just didn't play our game. We just picked a bad day to play. Come Monday, we start a brand new season."
"We were off at the start. We had 10 days without a game and we did a real good job. We had good hits and put the ball in play," Winslow head baseball coach Art Griffith said about Saturday's championship game. "Window Rock is a real good team and I thought our kids were ready to play."
Winslow had 11 hits and five strikeouts. Leading Winslow was Huerta who was 5-for-5 at the plate with two doubles and two runs scored. Ramsey was 3-for-5 with two runs scored.
Leading Window Rock was Price with three hits in four at bats and Young had two hits in four attempts.
In the third place game, the Holbrook Roadrunners cruised past the Monument Valley Mustangs, 11-1.
Holbrook is 18-12 overall and Monument Valley is 17-13 on the year.