Holbrook’s softball team opened the season in fine form on March 3 with a one-run win over Chino Valley on the road. This weekend they tried to keep that momentum going but stalled a bit at the Colorado River Softball Tournament.
Holbrook went 1-4 in their five games played over the three days of the tournament.
The Lady Birds opened the tournament on Thursday afternoon with an 8-2 loss to Coachelle Valley, Calif. The Mighty Arabs scored four runs in the bottom of each of the first two innings to seize control of the five-inning game. Holbrook scored once in the third and added their other run in the fifth.
The Lady Birds were held to just five hits. Madison Chappell had three of those five going three for three with a home run, a triple, two RBI and scored once. Talyssa Larson went one for three and scored once. Tiffani Tyler was one for two.
Tiffani Tyler pitched four innings in the circle where she gave up eight runs on four hits, with three walks and one strikeout.
Holbrook’s next game came later on Thursday evening with a match up against one of two teams from Pahrump Valley. Holbrook started well in this game scoring six runs in the bottom of the first inning to seemingly take early control. The Trojans scored once in the second but Holbrook pushed their lead to eight runs with three more in the third inning. Pahrump tried to rally with six runs in the top of the fourth, but Holbrook held on to win the game 9-7.
Olivia Richins-Baldonado went two for two, with a double and scored twice. Alyssa Woolford was two for two with a home run and collected five RBI. Jelena Despain scored two runs, Larson and Madison Chappell each scored once.
Richins-Baldonado worked 3.2 innings giving up seven runs on just five hits, with three walks and three strikeouts.
Holbrook returned to the field on Friday morning with a 0-5 shut-out loss to Rancho of Las Vegas, Nev. The Lady Roadrunner bats couldn’t wake up for the morning game, with the team managing just two hits against Ram pitching. Chappell and Aubrianna Begay each went one for one in the loss.
Tiffani Tyler took the loss in the circle where she pitched 3.2 innings giving up five runs on five hits, with four walks and four strikeouts.
Friday evening Holbrook met up with the Sierra Vista Lions, another Las Vegas school. Holbrook again struggled to put a bat on the ball in the 1-7 loss. The team scattered five hits with Tiffani Tyler getting two of the five. She went two for two, with a double and had the only RBI. Riley Reidhead went one for two, as did Ashley Spears who also scored the run. Chappell was one for one.
Richins-Baldonado worked 4.1 innings giving up seven runs on 10 hits, with a pair of walks and struck out one Mountain Lion batter.
Holbrook’s final game of the tournament came early Saturday morning and resulted in an 8-3 loss to Pahrump Valley’s second team. The Birds started well early with two runs in the bottom of the first taking a one run lead. That lead held until the top of the fourth where things fell apart. The Trojans scored seven runs in the fourth inning to lead 8-2. Holbrook scored just once in the bottom of the fifth ending the game with the five-run loss.
Chappell went two for three with a double, scored once and had two RBI. Despain went two for three with a RBI. Richins-Baldonado was also two for three and scored once. Larson went one for three and scored once. Spears was one for three, as was Gabrielle Tyler.
Richins-Baldonado started the game in the circle working three innings. She allowed seven runs on five hits and walked six. Tiffany Tyler pitched one inning giving up one run on two hits with a walk.
“We played some good competition; every team comes from a school much bigger than ours. Our pitchers did well, they threw strikes and found ways to get outs, unfortunately our defense let them down at times. Offensively we definitely need to find a way to limit our strikeouts and make more consistent hard contact. I feel like if we can figure out how to put the pieces together and the girls step up and take control of the game we can become a tough team, which we will have to be to have a chance to compete in our region,” said Head Coach Scott Baker.
After returning to regular season play at Show Low on Tuesday where they were to open East Region play, Holbrook will travel to St. Johns on Thursday. On Monday they will host Ganado in what will be their final game before taking some time off for spring break. The Ladies will return to play on March 24 when they host Window Rock.
