Chinle garners Joseph City baseball tournament title

Posted by Oree Foster | Mar 16, 2017 | Baseball |

FORT DEFIANCE

Senior pitcher Erick Skinner hurled a three-hitter, striking out 10 batters as the Chinle Wildcats crushed the St. Johns Redskins, 17-3, in a shortened five-inning contest in the championship game of the Joseph City baseball invitational.

“The kids did a good job,” said Chinle head coach Don Kimbrough. “I was impressed with their all-around performance. We got solid pitching, we played good defense, and we hit the ball. The kids are playing well. We have to continue working hard to be a better ball team.”

Chinle had two big innings. The Wildcats scored 10 runs in the third inning and added seven runs in the fourth frame en route to their tournament title.

St. Johns crossed the plate three times in the second inning to take the lead before Chinle stormed from behind.

For the game, Chinle had 11 hits. Brian Dedman, Brennon Lynch and Ty Guy all had two hits apiece for the Wildcats.

Lynch and Guy both drove home a pair of runs and Dedman had one RBI for the Wildcats.

And following with one hit apiece were Troy Yazzie, Cameron Begay, Chance Harvey and Dewayne Tom.

“Our bats came alive in the third inning,” Kimbrough said. “We got aggressive at the plate. We made contact and got good, clean hits.”