Losing their final two regular season games of the season put Winslow into the 3A State play-in game and also sent them on the road on Friday as the higher seed. The Bulldogs finished the season ranked 17th and had to travel to face 16th seeded Valley Christian.
The long bus ride and the higher ranked opponent had little impact on Winslow as they advance to the first round of the state bracket with a 4-1 victory. Things didn’t look good through five innings with Valley Christian winning a pitchers dual 1-0 after five. Winslow ace Ricardo Villanueva gave up just the one run and only seven hits with two strikeouts and walked one. The Bulldog defense was solid behind him playing error free.
Trojan pitcher Trey Harrison also went the distance and did not allow a run until the top of the sixth inning where Winslow took the lead for good with three runs. The Bulldogs added one more in the top of the seventh. Valley Christian committed four errors.
Winslow finished with eight hits. Daniel Vizcaya went 3 for 4, with all three hits counting as doubles; AJ Huerta went 2 for 4; Jalen Lyons, 2 for 3, with a home run; and Jacob Guerrero went 1 for 3.
Due to some upsets in the play-in games, Winslow is now in the state tournament as the 15th seeded team. They will face second seeded Casteel at 4 p.m. this Friday, May 4, at the Surprise Sports Complex. With a win they would advance in the bracket to face either No. 7 Chino Valley or No. 10 Show Low at 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 5. A win would advance them to the semi-finals, while a loss in either game would bring their season to a close. Casteel is 26-4 on the season, while the Bulldogs enter the state tournament with a 14-13 mark.
