Winslow’s girls’ softball team came up short in their bid for another state title on Tuesday evening. The fifth seeded Bulldogs met up with 11th seeded Sahuarita at Farrington Field on the campus of Arizona State University where through the first five innings the state championship could have gone either way with the two squads knotted at 4-4.
Winslow scored the game’s first run in the bottom of the opening frame. The Mustangs countered with two in the top of the second, only to see Winslow battle back taking the lead again with three runs in the bottom of the third. Sahuarita tied the game at four apiece with two runs in the fourth.
Winslow had two runners on with two outs in the bottom of the frame, but a ground out ended their threat to take the lead. Sahuarita’s coaching staff made a pitching change late in the fifth and that change proved to be the difference. The Mustang relief pitcher went on to retire nine of the 10 batters she faced for the rest of the game, which ended with Sahuarita claiming the title with a 10-4 win.
The Mustangs scored six runs in the top of the sixth to put the game out of reach for Winslow.
Winslow finished with nine hits compared to the Mustang’s 13. Justine Butterfield and Macy Cunningham combined for four of the Bulldog hits.
Winslow finishes the season as the 3A State runner-up with an overall season record of 23-13.
Sahuarita wins the title with an overall mark of 30-9.
