Joseph City will field a veteran lineup for this year’s Wildcat team. Eight seniors including Zane Johnson, Damarcus Bufford, Bannon Johnstun, Kelton Chairez, Owen Beatty, Jareon Miller, Blake Palmer and Brody Penrod, will be joined by junior Brent Bush, sophomores Kaysen Miller, Abram Rascon, Landon Miller and Jeffrey Howerton, and freshmen Cort Miller and Eli James.
The Wildcats opened the season on Tuesday with a 5-15 road loss to Lincoln Prep. The Lightning had scored 11 runs through the first three innings opening up a big lead. Joseph City scored two in the first but didn’t score again until the fourth. By then the margin was too big to overcome.
Johnstun went 1 for 4, as did Chairez. Bush was 1 for 2; Beatty, 1 for 2; and Penrod went 1 for 2. Joseph City utilized five pitchers who collectively allowed 15 runs on 7 hits with nine walks and had five strikeouts.
The following day Joseph City flipped the script with a 17-2 home-field win over visiting St. Johns. The Cats scored four in the bottom of the first, added two more in the second, then opened the game up with 11 runs in the home half of the third inning.
Johnson went 3 for 3 with a double. Johnstun was 4 for 4, including a triple and a double. Chairez went 2 for with a double; Jareon Miller was 3 for 4 with a double; and Penrod went 2 for 2 with a home run.
Johnstun worked 2.2 innings giving up two runs on one hit, with four strikeouts and walked three. Chairez pitched 2.1 innings, allowing just one hit with four strikeouts.
The Wildcats capped a busy opening week with four games at the Phoenix Christian Desert Classic on Friday and Saturday. Friday’s first game was a 2-3 loss to Horizon Honors. The second game on Friday was a 17-5 win over Mayer. On Saturday, Joseph City defeated Phoenix Country Day 16-2 in the morning then took care of Pima 7-3 in the afternoon.
Beginning on Thursday the Wildcats will co-host the Joseph City Baseball Invitational. Holbrook will also be hosting games in this tournament.
Following a week off for spring break the Wildcats will return to the field on March 22 when they travel to Williams.
