The Winslow High School Lady Bulldog softball team won its first four games of the Payson Invitational Tournament before losing the last two. The results left the Lady Bulldogs with a record of 14-5 for the season.
Winslow defeated Safford 4-3 in the first game, then topped Fountain Hills 12-11 in a slugfest, bombarded Round Valley 9-1 and got by Estrella Foothills 6-1. The first loss was a 7-6 edging by Tanque Verde. That was followed by a 5-4 loss to Snowflake.
Amazingly, in the 4-3 win over Safford, the Lady Bulldogs had only three hits, the big one being a home run by Alyssa Smith. Erica Jodie and Tara Wilson had the other Winslow hits. Cheyanne Benally got the win for the Lady Bulldogs.
In the 12-11 win over Fountain Hills Richelyn Villanueva got the victory.
Gabrielle Gonzales, Hailee Branson, Smith and Harliegh Scott were all 2 for 4 at the plate, with Gonzalez, Smith and Branson having home runs. Alicia O’Haco was 3 for 4.
In the 9-1 win over Round Valley, Benally again got the victory.
Branson was 3 for 3 at the plate and Taylor Holeva was 2 for 3.
Benally also got the 6-1 win over Estrella Foothills.
Villanueva was 3 for 4 with a home run. Holeva was 2 for 3 with a double. Gonzales and O’Haco were each 2 for 4, Gonzalez having a triple.
In the 7-6 loss to Tanque Verde, Benally took the setback.
Elizabeth Lozano was 2 for 2 at the plate and Smith was 1 for 3 with a home run.
In the final game of the tournament for Winslow, a 5-4 loss to Snowflake, Villanueva and Benally both worked the mound as Snowflake came from behind to edge the Bulldogs.
Branson was 2 for 3 at the plate and Gonzales was 2 for 4 with a double.
The Bulldogs will host the Coconino Lady Panthers today (March 27) and the Mingus Lady Marauders on Tuesday, March 31.
