The Winslow Bulldogs will take on the Chino Valley Cougars at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday. Each of these teams will be fighting to keep a win streak alive as Winslow comes in on three and Chino Valley on four.
On Tuesday, Winslow got the win against Snowflake by a conclusive 8-2. The Bulldogs might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won 11 matches by six runs or more this season.
Kyah Wilcox was a major factor no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, pitching seven innings while giving up just two earned runs off eight hits. Wilcox was also stellar in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with one home run and two RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Angela Salazar, who went 2-for-3 with four RBI, two runs, and one double. Kendra Ybarra was another key player, scoring a run while going 3-for-3.
Meanwhile, Chino Valley made easy work of Parker on Friday and carried off a 10-2 win.
Like Winslow, Chino Valley also got a great game from a two-way player: Kinsey Murphy. She struck out 11 batters over seven innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off seven hits (and not a single walk). Murphy has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't tossed less than seven strikeouts in six consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, getting on base in four of her five plate appearances with two RBI and one double.
In other batting news, Aden Hubble was incredible, scoring four runs and stealing two bases while going 4-for-5. What's more, she posted two doubles, the most she's had since back in March of 2024. Another player making a difference was Jamie Felton, who scored two runs while getting on base in four of her five plate appearances.
Chino Valley kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 15 hits. That's a new trend for them: they were averaging 3.5 hits per game earlier this season, but in their last 15 contests they've averaged 8.8.
Chino Valley's victory was their third straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 9-7. Those road wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.0 runs on average over those games. As for Winslow, their victory bumped their record up to 13-9.
Wednesday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Winslow has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .518. However, it's not like Chino Valley struggles in that department as they've averaged .433. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Winslow took their win against Chino Valley when the teams last played back in February of 2024 by a conclusive 16-3 score. Will the Bulldogs repeat their success, or do the Cougars have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
