The Winslow Lady Bulldogs used a pair of 4-3 wins to advance to the Arizona State Division III Softball Tournament semifinals scheduled on Friday, May 11. Winslow defeated Florence 4-3 in eight innings last Friday and came from behind to top Blue Ridge by the same score on Saturday. Winslow improved its record to a spectacular 25-5 for the season.
Halle Hayes got the win against Florence, giving up three runs, just two of which were earned, on only two hits and no walks with 13 strikeouts.
Winslow took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning on singles by Haley Hancock and Halle Hayes, an RBI by Arianna Huerta on a play where she reached on an error and later scored, and a sacrifice fly by Jaleisa Hayes.
Florence tied the game at 3-3 in the top of the fourth inning on a single by M. Austin, a double by G. Holbrook and three Winslow errors.
Winslow won the game in the bottom of the first extra inning, the eighth, on a single by Jaime Bollin, a stolen base and a sacrifice fly by Dallas Zamora.
Halle Hayes was two for four at the plate. Hancock was one for two. Jaleisa Hayes was one for three. Huerta, Jaime Bollin and Zamora were all one for four.
Halle Hayes also got the win over Blue Ridge on Saturday, allowing three runs on six hits and a walk while fanning seven.
Winslow took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the third on singles by Renee Bollin and Huerta, a walk and an error. Blue Ridge came back to take a 3-2 lead in the top of the seventh on a double by Shannon Newman, a single by Michelle Lee and a home run by Tara Caley.
The Lady Bulldogs won the game with a two-run seventh inning rally. Zamora walked with two outs and the team on the brink of defeat. Megan Lymer was hit by the pitch, and Hancock walked to set up the game tying single by Bollin and the game winning hit by Halle Hayes.
Bollin was the hitting star with a two for three day, a run scored and the tying run batted in. Zamora was one for two. Halle Hayes was one for three. Huerta was one for four.
Winslow, seeded third in the tournament, will play second seeded Estrella Foothills on Friday. The other semifinals matches top seeded Payson and fifth seeded Bourgade Catholic.
