Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Cameryn Woodall (3) delivers a pitch during a recent home game. The Morenci junior has a 2.41 earned run average and has struck out 47, yielded 24 hits, six walks, and beaned three while facing 122 batters during 29 innings in the circle. At the plate, she is batting .571 (12-21) with 15 runs batted in, two doubles, and three triples. Morenci (6-1) hosts Santa Rita (0-1) on Wednesday, March 6.
By Raymundo Frasquillo
MORENCI – The Joseph Garcia-coached Morenci Wildcats host the Tucson Santa Rita Eagles on Wednesday, March 6. The starting time is 4 p.m.
The teams last met during the 2016 season, with Morenci posting a 22-0 (April 8) abbreviated home win. The Eagles ended 0-18 as No. 47 of 49 in Division IV, followed by marks of 0-17 (2017) as No. 36 of 36 in 3A, 3-18 (2018) as No. 35 of 37 in 3A, 2-14 (2019) as No. 39 of 43 in 2A, and 0-4 (2020) unranked. The school fielded no teams during 2021, 2022, or 2023.
Meanwhile, Morenci posted marks of 22-8 (2016) as No. 11 of 49 in Division IV, 25-7-1 (2017) as No. 3 of 48 in 2A, 20-11 (2018) as No. 4 of 47, 18-10 (2019) as No. 4 of 43, 3-5 (2020) unranked, 12-5 (2021) as No. 7 of 27, 17-9 (2022) as No. 7 of 35, and 16-11 (2023) as No. 9 of 34 along with a combined post-season 9-7 mark during the same 8-year (2016-23) span. The Wildcats ended in the first round during 2022 (0-1) as No. 7 and during 2023 (0-1) as No. 8; in the quarterfinals during 2017 (1-1) as No. 3 and during 2021 (1-1) as No. 7; in the semifinals during 2016 (3-1) as No. 11, during 2018 (2-1) as No. 4 and during 2019 (2-1) as No. 4.
Santa Rita Eagles (0-1 overall)
The Latron Carter-coached 2A Independent Santa Rita Eagles have a lone contest under their belts, a 1-20 five innings loss to 4A Gila Region Tucson Amphitheater on March 4.
Santa Rita has a 13-member roster, including seniors Jasmine Coronado (11) and Annaleese Flores (5); juniors Victoria Cantu (14), Naima Gomez (2), Jazzy Jensen (12), and Bella Pena (10); sophomores Eva Piceno (18), Alexis Santos (7), Naia Sirvent (6), and Maddy Thompson (16); and freshmen Promise Cohen (8), Alexandra Ochoa (4), and Ali Varela (15).
Morenci Wildcats (6-1 overall)
The Joseph Garcia-coached Morenci Wildcats (6-1 overall, 3-0 seeding, 1-0 region) are averaging g an 11-2 (79-13) score per game or 9-run margin through seven abbreviated games.
Morenci has seeding wins over Miami (12-0, Feb. 26), Willcox (11-0, Feb. 29), and Miami (16-0, March 4), each during abbreviated contests.
Additionally, the Wildcats went 3-1 during a 3-day Queen Creek-held tourney, with wins over Phoenix Northwest Christian (6-4, Feb. 22), Queen Creek Benjamin Franklin (19-0, Feb. 23), and Tuba City (15-0, Feb. 24). The lone loss was to Phoenix Horizon Honors (0-9, Feb. 24), a team ending Morenci’s 2022 and 2023 seasons with losses of 3-7 and 6-8, respectively.
Morenci has a .422 (73-173) batting average compared to .198 (23-121) for combined opponents. The Wildcats have driven in 68 of 79 (.861) runs, and notched 20 doubles, seven triples, and five home runs while posting 29 strikeouts, 24 walks, and being beaned eight times.
A 2-person pitching corps has allowed an earned run average of 2.19 with 10 of 13 runs, yielding four doubles and two home runs, and struck out 50, walked six, beaned three, and a sacrifice bunt once.
The Wildcats have a roster numbering 16, with seniors Alizabeth Aguilar (16), Kay’Leigh Blair (2), Celeis Bejarano (4), and Daviana Gallegos (5); juniors Sway Cordova (2), Yalitza Rios-Ortega (15), and Cameryn Woodall (3); sophomores Jaliyah Hernandez (14) and Shaylee Wichman (13); and freshmen Karol Escalona (10), Tiara Jones (11), Kieralyn Madrigal (6), Malina Martinez (7), Mayeli Salazar (12), Kailee Sandoval (8), and Janessa Webb (9).
2A East Region Standings
The 2A East Region standings following three games through March 5, were Morenci (6-1 overall, 3-0 seeding, 1-0 region) first, Benson (3-4, 2-0, 1-0) second, Tombstone (, 2-2, 1-0) third, Willcox (2-6, 1-1, 0-1) fourth, Bisbee (1-1, 0-1) fifth, and Pima (0-1, 0-1, 0-1) sixth.
Morenci (1-0) has a region win over Willcox (11-0, Feb. 29) and is averaging an 11-2 (79-13) score per game or a 9-run margin through seven games.
Benson (1-0) has a region win over Bisbee (11-0, March 5) and is averaging a 15-1 (102-10) score per game or a 14-point margin through seven games.
Tombstone (1-0) has a region win over Pima (17-0, March 5) and is averaging a 14-9 (55-34) score per game or a 5-run margin through four games.
Willcox (0-1) is averaging a 7-7 (56-57) score per game or a tie through eight games, Bisbee (0-1) is averaging an 8-6 (15-11) score per game or a 2-run margin through two games, and Pima has a 0-17 score per game or a 17-run deficit after one game.
