The Roadrunners continue to rack up wins moving their current streak to six with three victories last week.
Hosting Show Low on Tuesday, coach Kendall Bakurza’s team needed extra innings before prevailing 10-9 over the Cougars. Holbrook led 2-1 after the first.
Show Low tied the game for the first time with a run in the second. Holbrook moved out in front by three runs in the fourth then pushed that margin to four runs with a run in the sixth. Show Low fought back and took a three run lead with seven runs in the top of the seventh. Needing three runs to extend the game, that’s exactly what the Roadrunners got scoring three times in the bottom of the seventh to force extra innings. After holding the Cougars in the top of the eighth, the Birds ended the game in the bottom of the eighth with a single run.
Jalen Nez went 2 for 3, with two doubles; Ryan Short was 3 for 4, with a double; Frankie Ulibarri went 1 for 3, with a double; Brett Buckley was 1 for 3; Michael Queiruga, 1 for 3; Gabe Gabaldon, 1 for 3; and Brady Buckley went 1 for 4.
Nez worked six and two and a third innings on the hill giving up four runs on five hits with six strikeouts and walked two. Cole McDaniel and Ulibarri worked the final one and one-third combining to give up five runs on four hits with four walks.
Hosting Snowflake on Saturday, the Roadrunners cruised to an 11-2 win. Holbrook scored four in the first and was never threatened after Snowflake scored twice in the top of the first. Holbrook finished the game scoring two in the fourth and fifth, then three in the sixth.
Justin Perkins went 2 for 3, with a pair of doubles; Ulibarri was 2 for 3; Gabe Santibanez, 2 for 4; Cole McDaniel was 1 for 5, with a double; Nez, 1 for 3; Buckley, 1 for 1; Queiruga, 1 for 3; Gabaldon, 1 for 3; and Buckley went 1 for 2.
Perkins pitched six and one-third innings allowing two runs on six hits, with 13 strikeouts and walked one. Santibanez pitched two-thirds of an inning, giving up just one hit with one strikeout.
Saturday’s long trip to Monument Valley was hardly worth the time for the Roadrunners who won the game in five innings 22-0. A sluggish first inning saw them score just once, but over the next three frames they posted 21 runs.
Short had one home run and three doubles, with six other players earning doubles. McDaniel had three doubles; Santibanez, Perkins and Buckley each had two; and Ulibarri had one double.
Ulibarri got the win on the hill pitching five innings. He gave up no runs and only two hits with seven strikeouts and walked two.
The three wins for the Roadrunners improved their regular season record to 10-1 leaving them ranked eighth at the beginning of the week. After playing at Winslow on Tuesday, they will be in action at the Wolves Classic in Goodyear on Thursday through Saturday. Next Tuesday, Holbrook returns to regular season play when they host Blue Ridge.
