Cowgirls run-rule Wildcats in Willcox
By Raymundo Frasquillo
MORENCI – The Joseph Garcia -coached No. 11 Morenci Wildcats (4-4 seeding, 4.0801 rating) host the No. 5 Willcox Cowgirls (7-2, 10.5173) for a 4 p.m. start on Thursday, April 2. It is one of 10 regular-season games remaining, four of them in region play. The pairing with Willcox is not a region counter, as the March 26 game in Willcox was for that purpose. The Cowgirls prevailed 12-1 in six innings over the Wildcats.
Willcox has 19-game averages of .313 (190-523) batting with 150 of 192 runs batted in, .904 (330-67-42) fielding with four double plays, and a 2.03 earned run average through 110 1/3 innings with 212 strikeouts, 31 walks, and three grazed batters.
Morenci has 16-game averages of .418 (168-402) batting with 135 of 153 runs batted in, .811 (171-86-60) fielding with 16 double plays, and a 4.87 earned run average through 82 innings with 60 strikeouts, 39 walks, and 13 grazed batters.
Before heading to Morenci, Willcox visits the 4A No. 2 Vail Mica Mountain Thunderbolts (7-0, 14.4891) on Wednesday, April 1. The Thunderbolts are averaging an 11-2 (207-34) score per game or a 9-run margin through 19 games.
Mica Mountain has 19-game averages of .445 (227-510) batting with 164 of 208 runs batted in and a 1.91 earned run average through 99 innings with 115 strikeouts, 17 walks, and four grazed batters.
The initial state rankings on March 31 had Morenci’s four remaining region contests, in Morenci against No. 35 Desert Christian (1-4 seeding, minus 9.2161) on April 10 and three out of town, in Tucson versus the No. 38 San Miguel Catholic Vipers (minus 10.8946) on April 15, in Benson vs. the No. 26 Benson Bobcats (3-5, minus 3.7941) on April 20, and in Tucson vs. the No. 31 Saint Augustine Catholic Wolves (3-3, minus 7.1883) on April 24.
Non-region home contests include No. 23 Chandler Prep (2-4, minus 2.6695) on April 13, No. 14 Pima (4-2, 1.3682) on April 16, and No. 7 Phoenix Horizon Honors (4-1, 8.6530) on April 17 while the out of town ones are with No. 34 San Carlos (1-5, minus 9.1517) on April 7 and 1A No. 17 Fort Thomas (1-3, minus 5.6847) on April 27.
This week (March 30-April 4):
This week in the 2A South Region, Desert Christian hosts San Miguel on March 31; Willcox visits 4A Kino Region Vail Mica Mountain, and Tombstone hosts Saint Augustine on April 1; and Willcox visits Morenci, and Benson visits Desert Christian on April 2.
Morenci succumbed 1-19 (4 inn) to 2A North Region Eagar Round Valley, Saint Augustine visited 3A South Region Catalina, and San Miguel visits Florence American Leadership – Anthem South on March 30.
The 2A East Region member pairings include Pima hosting 1A East Region Kearny Ray and Gilbert Classical visiting Mesa American Leadership – Mesa North on March 31; Miami visiting 1A South Region Duncan, and San Carlos visiting Gilbert Classical on April 2; and Pima visiting 1A South Region Elfrida Valley Union on April 3.
Pima succumbed 0-20 in four innings to 2A Valley Region Phoenix Horizon Honors on March 30.
No. 5 Willcox Cowgirls (7-2 seeding, 9.9163 rating)
Willcox (14-5 overall, 7-2 seeding, 2-0 region) is averaging a 10-3 (192-61) score per game or a 7-run margin through 19 games.
The Trevor Ward-coached Cowgirls have seeding wins over Tombstone (13-0 in 6 inn, March 3), Pusch Ridge (8-1, March 6), Eloy Santa Cruz (12-6, March 12), Bisbee (18-2 in 5 inn, March 13), Safford (11-0 in 6 inn, March 17), San Miguel (21-0 in 4 inn, March 23), and Morenci (12-1 in 6 inn, March 26) along with a loss to Empire (0-1, March 13) and Tanque Verde (1-4, March 25).
Additionally, the Cowgirls went 5-1 during the 3-day Canyon del Oro tourney and 2-2 during the 2-day Horizon Honors tourney. The wins were over Tucson Sabino (15-1 in 5 inn, Feb. 26), Mesa Eastmark (19-2 in 5 inn, Feb. 26), Winslow (19-4 in 5 inn, Feb. 26), Sahuarita Walden Grove (3-2 in 8 inn, Feb. 27), Eastmark (10-0 in 4 inn, Feb. 27), Goodyear Desert Edge (9-1, March 19), and San Tan Valley Poston Butte (10-0 in 6 inn, March 19). The losses were to Tucson Magnet (0-9, Feb. 27), Laveen Heritage (4-5 in 8 inn, March 20), and Empire (7-22 in 4 inn, March 20).
A 15-member roster has a senior, two juniors, five sophomores, and seven freshmen. The senior is Payton Fuentes (17); juniors Gloria Encinas (8) and Lilyana Milenaar (10; sophomores Annel Arredando (4), Jaqueline Ramirez (28), Karlie Saint Clair (5), Janelle Vandermeulen (1), and Sophia Villa (21); and freshmen Lauren Bennett (27), Emma Cosand (13), Shelby Hestand (0), Hattie Macumber (98), Iza Pando (9), Lia Villa (22), and Lilly Williams (15).
Willcox is competing in the 9-member 2A South Region with the Benson Bobcats, the Bisbee Pumas, the Morenci Wildcats, the Tombstone Yellow Jackets, along with the Tucson schools Desert Christian Eagles, Saint Augustine Catholic Wolves, the San Miguel Catholic Vipers, and the Santa Rita Eagles.
No. 10 Morenci Wildcats (4-4 seeding, 4.0008 rating)
Morenci (9-7 overall, 4-4 seeding, 1-1 region) is averaging a 10-8 (153-125) score per game or a 2-run margin through 16 games.
The Joseph Garcia-coached Wildcats have seeding wins over Miami (9-4, March 4), Pima (14-0 in 5 inn, March 11), Bisbee (18-3 in 5 inn, March 13), and Tombstone (8-7, March 23) along with losses to Saint Johns (4-5 in 8 inn, March 17), Empire (5-11, March 25), Willcox (1-12 in 6 inn, March 26), and Round Valley (1-19 in 4 inn, March 30).
Additionally, the Wildcats went 1-3 during the 3-day Benjamin Franklin tourney and 4-0 during the 2-day Horizon Honors tourney. The wins were over Kearny Ray (15-9 in 4 inn, Feb. 26), North Phoenix (20-2 in 3 inn, March 19), Kayenta Monument Valley (17-13 in 4 inn, March 19), Parker (14-6 in 4 inn, March 20), and Winkelman Hayden (10-2 in 5 inn, March 20). The losses were to Snowflake (9-11 in 4 inn, Feb. 26), Queen Creek Crismon (6-10 in 4 inn, Feb. 26), and Douglas (1-11 in 4 inn, Feb. 28).
A 14-member roster has two seniors, five juniors, three sophomores, and four freshmen. The seniors are Jaliyah Hernandez (14), and Shaylee Wichmann (13); juniors Tiara Jones (15), Kieralyn Madrigal (6), Malina Martinez (3), Mayeli Salazar (5), and Kailee Sandoval (8); sophomores Ava Basteen (2), Khloee Kouts (11), and Leiah Strong (17); and freshmen Sophia Araiza (10), Angelina Chavez (9), Lyla Ferrell (16), and Allison Redhouse (4).
Morenci is competing in the 9-member 2A South Region with the Benson Bobcats, the Bisbee Pumas, the Tombstone Yellow Jackets, the Willcox Cowboys, along with the Tucson schools Desert Christian Eagles, Saint Augustine Catholic Wolves, the San Miguel Catholic Vipers, and the Santa Rita Eagles.
2A South Region Standings
The South Region standings on April 1 had Willcox (14-5 overall, 7-2 seeding, 2-0 region), Benson (3-14, 3-5, 1-0), Morenci (9-7, 4-4, 2-1), Bisbee (7-4*, 3-4, 1-1), Tucson Desert Christian (2-4, 2-4, 1-1), Tombstone (10-11, 3-6, 0-1), Tucson Saint Augustine Catholic (4-3, 4-3, 0-0), Tucson San Miguel Catholic (2-8, 2-8, 0-3), and Tucson Santa Rita (0-1, 0-1, 0-0).
Seven region pairings to date have Willcox over San Miguel (21-0 in 4 inn, March 23) and Morenci (12-1 in 6 inn, March 26); Morenci over Bisbee (18-3 in 5 inn, March 13) and Tombstone (8-7, March 23); Bisbee over Desert Christian (21-7 in 5 inn, March 23); Desert Christian over San Miguel (18-7 in 5 inn, March 31); Benson over San Miguel (20-0 in 5 inn, March 26);
2A East Region Standings
The East Region standings on April 1 had Miami (*6-5-1 overall, 6-4-1 seeding, 1-0 region), Pima (10-6, 4-3, 1-0), Chandler Prep (*2-5, 2-4, 0-1), San Carlos (1-5, 1-5, 0-0), and Gilbert Classical (1-5, 1-5, 0-1).
Two region pairings have resulted in wins for Miami over Gilbert Classical (18-1, March 27) and Pima over Chandler Prep (9-4, March 27).
*Miami, Chandler Prep, San Carlos, and Pima participated in the Horizon Honors tourney on March 19-21.
