Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Ava Kerrigan (14) delivers a pitch to a Safford batter during a conference tourney pairing. The Morenci seventh grader struck out eight and allowed one earned run while facing 25 batters during six innings. Morenci edged Safford 4-3 on April 29.
By Raymundo Frasquillo
MORENCI – The Benji Morales-coached Morenci Junior High Wildcats edged the visiting Safford JHS Bulldogs 4-3 on April 29.
It came down to the bottom of the sixth inning with the host Wildcats trailing 2-3. The first batter struck out, Taytum Nelson reached first on an error, advanced to second on a passed ball and to third on a wild pitch, and scored on an error; the next batter took a called third strike for the second out; Aiyanna Merino reached first on a fielder’s choice and third on a throwing error; and Ava Basteen’s fielder’s choice allowed Merino to score. Game over.
Safford went ahead 1-0 during its initial plate appearance. Lead-off batter Jayden Coy singled on and crossed the plate despite outs being recorded by the ensuing three batters. The Bulldogs went three up and three down during their next two at-bats, then sent five up in the fourth and four in the fifth without scoring during any of them.
Morenci took a 2-1 advantage in the fourth. First batter Ava Kerrigan reached first by being grazed and advanced to third on a throwing error, a fielding error allowed Alyza Marin to reach first and Kerrigan to score, an Emily Rivera single put two runners on and a wild pitch advanced both before a fly out to third prompted a double play, Marin got caught off second for two outs. Angelina Chavez drew a 1-3 pitch base on balls, a wild pitch allowed her and Rivera to advance a base, Merino put the ball in play and reached first on an error while Rivera scored, and Chavez was run down for the third out.
Safford sent six up in the sixth, resulting in a pair of runs. A one-out Corrie Claridge single was followed by Khloe Clark’s fielder’s choice and a second out. Zhy Elliott flied between center and right with two outs, and both her and Clark scored to give Safford a short-lived 3-2 advantage.
For the game, Morenci batted .087 (2-23), stranded seven base runners, and made two errors compared to .250 (6-24), four runners left on, and nine errors by Safford.
Marin and Rivera both batted .333 (1-3).
In the circle, Kerrigan struck out eight, grazed one, yielded six hits and a sacrifice, and allowed one earned run while facing 25 batters during six innings.
For Safford, Claridge batted 1.000 (2-2, sac), Elliott .667 (2-3, 2 RBIs, home run), and both Coy and Gonzales .333 (1-3).
In the circle, Elliott struck out eight, walked four, grazed one, and allowed two hits and two earned runs while facing 28 batters during 5 2/3 innings.
Safford, coached by Adrianna Cordova, listed a 14-member roster of Audrey Bonilla (6), Corrie Claridge (2), Khloe Clark (12), Kalia Cordova (5), Jayden Coy (1), Zhy Elliott (15), Yovana Estrada (3), Audrina Gonzales (8), Jordan Herrera (4), Anahi Martin (7), Rylah Mudra (13), Audi Ogas (11), Celly Ogas (9), and Landyn Roberts (10).
Morenci’s 12-member roster included eighth graders: Ava Basteen (2), Jaylianna Guzzo (3), Ava Kerrigan (14), Khloe Kouts (7), Alyza Marin (20), Aiyanna Merino (6), Taytum Nelson (10), Emily Rivera (8), and Arisela Salazar (15) along with seventh graders Angelina Chavez (13), Lyla Ferrell (11), and Tamra Sipes (18).
