Winslow blanks Window Rock in region tournament finals
By Manuel Jesus
Special to the Times
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(Times photo - Paul Natonabah)
Winslow Lady Bulldog Jenn Yazzie pitches against Window Rock Lady Scouts during 3A North Region softball championship at Winslow High April 26. Yazzie was the winning pitcher blanking the Lady Scouts 8-0.
Jennifer Yazzie pitched a complete game on Saturday for the Winslow Lady Bulldogs who shut out the Window Rock Lady Scouts for the 3A North regional tournament championship, 8-0.
For the second straight game in the regional tournament in Winslow, Yazzie, a sophomore, gave up only one hit in both games. The first game was against Chinle on Friday followed by Saturday's championship game.
In the tournament finals, Yazzie recorded seven strikeouts, two walks and gave up a lone single to Scouts catcher Elisse Tapaha in the top of the third inning.
According to Lady Bulldogs softball coach, Becky Barris, Yazzie is one of the state's top 15 pitchers with strikeouts.
After Yazzie pitched a great game against Chinle, she said she was well prepared for the Lady Scouts.
"I felt good. I was ready to play against Window Rock," Yazzie said after the championship win. "Before the game, I calm myself down. I was ready for them."
Window Rock's only threat to score was in the third inning as Tapaha, a sophomore, lined a clean single to left field. Tapaha then moved on to second base with two outs, but Yazzie then got Shelby Burbank to fly out to center field for the third out and from there, Yazzie was unhittable.
Barris said she expected Yazzie to perform strong and that she was pleased with the Lady Bulldogs' defense. She was was surprised that Winslow did not get more hits during the win.
"Our defense was solid today," Barris said. "We didn't have as many hits today but the bottom of our lineup produced a lot of runs for us."
Winslow finished with 14 hits, three strikeouts and one walk and Barris said that in the last game they played against Window Rock, Winslow had 17 hits.
"We hit them pretty hard. Earlier in the season when we played them, the first game with Window Rock, we had 17 hits against them," she said. "Not that many hits this time, though."
After a scoreless first inning, Winslow got on the board in the bottom of the second when Mariah Guzman singled up the middle against Window Rock starter, Burbank. After Guzman's single, Gabby Stacey hit a liner into center field for a double that scored Guzman for a 1-0 lead.
Kylie Parsons followed with a single to left field to score Stacey from third for a 2-0 lead. After a double by Mallory Smith to left center, Winslow had runners on third and second with no outs.
Burbank struck out Mireya Ulibarri and got Alek Lomeli to fly out for two outs, but Felicia Nagle then hit a double over the Window Rock left fielder to score Parsons and Smith and increase their lead to 4-0. Window Rock got the last out with Yazzie hitting a liner to left field.
Winslow increased their lead in the next inning. With the bases loaded, Ulibarri hit a soft bouncer up the middle for a single and scored Stacey from third. An error on Window Rock's catcher allowed Parsons to score from third for a 6-0 lead after three innings.
Winslow added another run in the bottom of the fifth after Stacey scored from third after Window Rock's second baseman dropped the ball at second on a steal attempt. After five innings Winslow was in control with a 7-0 lead.
Winslow got their last run in the bottom of the sixth when Yazzie, who had hit a single, scored from third after Guzman beat out a throw to first base to put Winslow up 8-0.
With the score 8-0 in the final inning, Yazzie got all three batters she faced with a fly out to first base for the first out, then struck out the last two batters, Yazzie and Jesse Jacobs.
On Winslow's offense, Grover was 2 for 4 with two doubles, Guzman was 2 for 3 with two singles and one walk and Stacey was 3 for 4 with a single, double and triple.
"We're excited about state. Being number one seed, we're looking forward to the bracket this week," Barris said. "We have as good a chance as anybody in the state tournament."
Also earning a state tournament berth from the 3A North Region were Tuba City and Chinle. On Saturday, Tuba City beat Chinle 12-2 in the third place game.
On the season, Tuba City is 14-7 overall and Chinle has a 10-7 record.