Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Shaylee Wichman (13) takes a cut from the batting circle before her plate appearance. The Morenci sophomore is the starting short-stop. Morenci hosts Willcox for a region contest on Monday, March 18.
By Raymundo Frasquillo
MORENCI – The Joseph Garcia-coached Morenci Wildcats host the Willcox Cowgirls on Monday, March 18. The pairing is a 2A East Region contest. Morenci previously defeated Willcox 11-0 in five innings on Feb. 29.
The other region games this week (March 18-23) have Willcox at Tombstone on Thursday, March 21 and at Benson on Saturday, March 23.
Non-region games include Eloy Santa Cruz at Willcox on Tuesday, March 19; Bisbee, Morenci, and Pima at the 3-day Chandler Prep tourney on March 21-23; and Tombstone at the 2-day Douglas tourney on March 22-23.
Willcox Cowgirls (3-7* overall)
The Trevor Ward-coached Willcox Cowgirls (3-7* overall, 2-2 seeding, 0-1 region) are averaging a 10-10 (98-95) score per game or a tie through 10 games.
Willcox has seeding wins over Phoenix Madison Highland Prep (20-1, Feb. 26) and Elfrida Valley Union (20-12, March 8) along with losses to Morenci (0-11, Feb. 29) and Thatcher (5-9, March 6).
In addition, the Cowgirls went 1-5 during the 3-day Tucson Canyon del Oro tourney on Feb. 22-24. The win was over Tucson Cholla (15-1, Feb. 23) while the losses were to Tucson Cienega (0-17, Feb. 22), Sahuarita Walden Grove (3-18, Feb. 22), Texas El Paso Bel Air (8-9, Feb. 22), Tucson Mica Mountain (2-8, Feb. 23), and Texas El Paso Pebble Hills (8-9, Feb. 24). *Results of the 2-day Payson tourney participation on March 15-16 were unavailable.
Willcox has a team batting average of .344 (21-127) with 60 of 81 runs batted in, 10 doubles, two triples, and a home run. Additionally, the Cowgirls struck out 43 times, were walked 53 times, and beaned nine times.
In the circle, the Cowgirls had a collective 7.25 earned run average, allowed 48 of 95 earned runs, five home runs, 32 walks, and beaned 11. Opponents had a .383 (98-256) batting average and struck out 36 times while going up to the plate 299 times during 46 1/3 innings.
Willcox has a 14-member roster, including senior Phoebe Dullum (4); juniors Annie Allred (5), Evie Allred (2), Maddison Bennett (3), Layla Donahue (9), Gabriela Galaz (21), Emma McWilliams (10), Nataly Thompson (6), and Abi Tingle (14); sophomores Addison Burright (1), Peyton Fuentes (12); as well as Jordin Diaz (20), Gloria Encinas (8), and Alyssa Gonzalez (11).
Morenci Wildcats (9-1 overall)
The Joseph Garcia-coached Morenci Wildcats (9-1 overall, 6-0 seeding, 2-0 region) are averaging a 15-2 (145-17) score per game or 13-run margin through 10 abbreviated games.
Morenci has seeding wins over Miami (12-0, Feb. 26), Willcox (11-0, Feb. 29), Miami (16-0, March 4), Santa Rita (22-0, March 6), Bisbee (16-4, March 8), and San Carlos (28-0, March 14), 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 .483 (117-242) batting average compared to .198 (23-121) for combined opponents. The Wildcats have driven in 121 of 145 (.834) runs, and notched 31 doubles, 14 triples, and 10 home runs while posting 36 strikeouts, 53 walks, and beaned 15 times.
A 4-person pitching corps has allowed an earned run average of 2.07 with 13 of 17 runs earned, yielded seven doubles and two home runs, struck out 75, walked 11, and beaned five while facing 182 batters during 44 innings.
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 (9-1 overall, 6-0 seeding, 2-0 region) first, Benson (4-4*, 3-0, 2-0) second, Tombstone (4-3, 2-2, 1-0) third, Bisbee (2-2, 2-2, 1-2) fourth, Willcox (3-7*, 2-2, 0-1) fifth, and Pima (0-4, 0-4, 0-3) sixth.
Morenci (3-0) a region wins over Willcox (11-0, Feb. 29), Santa Rita (22-0, March 6), and Bisbee (16-4, March 8). The Joseph Garcia-coached Wildcats are averaging a 15-2 (145-17) score per game or 13-run margin through 10 abbreviated games.
Benson (2-0) has region wins over Bisbee (11-0, March 5) and Pima (12-2, March 8). The Eric Tatham-coached Bobcats are averaging an 8-8 (60-65) score per game or a tie through eight games.
Tombstone (1-0) has a region win over Pima (17-0, March 5). The James True-coached Yellow Jackets are averaging a 12-8 (84-54) score per game or a 4-run margin through seven games.
The Trevor Ward-coached Willcox Cowgirls (0-1) are averaging a 10-10 (98-95) score per game or a tie through 10 games, the Melissa Wright-coached Bisbee Pumas (1-2) a 7-8 (29-32) score per game or a 1-run deficit through four games, and the Danny Olson-coached Pima Roughriders (0-3) a 4-15 (15-58) score per game or an 11-run deficit through four games.
