Holbrook had to hold off a late game rally by Chino Valley in the bottom of the seventh inning on Tuesday night to pick up their first win of the season in their opening game. The Lady Birds scored two in the top of the first only to have that total matched by the Cougars in the home half of the frame. The second inning belonged to Holbrook with three runs, then they tacked on three more in the fourth to lead 8-2.

Chino Valley scored twice in the fourth making the score 8-4. Holbrook had a big fifth inning, pushing their lead to 13-4, before the Cougars made it 13-6 with two runs in the fifth. Holbrook scored their 14th and 15th runs in the top of the sixth making the score 15-6.

Chino Valley then made a game of it scoring six runs in the bottom of the sixth and two more in the bottom of the seventh making the score 15-14 before Holbrook finally got out of the inning to preserve the one run win.

Both teams pounded the ball with the Cougars collecting 13 hits and the Lady Birds finishing with 16. Madison Chappell quickly transitioned from basketball to the diamond to lead Holbrook at the plate going four for four while hitting for the cycle with a double, a triple, a home run, and a single along with five runs scored and three RBI.

Jelena Despain went three for four with two RBI and scored twice. Ashley Speers was three for five including a triple, with two runs scored and four RBI. Talyssa Larson went two for four scoring twice with one RBI. Olivia Richins Baldonado went two for four, with a triple and scored four runs. Tiffani Tyler was one for five and Gabrielle Tyler went one for four, with a RBI.

In the circle, Tyler pitched five and one-third innings giving up 10 runs on eight hits, with six walks and five strike outs. Kamele Shelendewa pitched two-thirds of an inning allowing four runs on four hits, with one walk. Richins Baldonado earned the save pitching one inning with no hits and one strikeout.

Holbrook played in the Needles Tournament beginning on Thursday this week and on Tuesday they opened East Region play with a road trip to Show Low.