Five key players return for Chinle ’Cats baseball team
FORT DEFIANCE
Pitching for Chinle will be a handful as head baseball coach Don Kimbrough is optimistic of the Wildcats’ chances this year in the Arizona Class 3A North Region.
“We have started the season with two tough Class 3A East Region baseball teams,” Kimbrough said. “The 3A East teams are always talented. We lost three games, but I think we will come around to be competitive. Pitching is always a key to a successful season. This year pitching is more important because of the pitch count.”
Chinle took the Holbrook Roadrunners to the final inning before succumbing, 9-8, in the season opener for both teams.
“It was a tough loss,” Kimbrough said. “We had opportunities. Because of the early season, we couldn’t pull it off. We needed more work outside. We did the best we could.”
A talented Show Low Cougar ball team posted an 11-0 win over Chinle.
“Show Low is a strong and talented team,” Kimbrough said. “They have the pitching and they can hit the ball. One of our key pitchers had a sore arm. Fielding errors hurt us. We had five fielding errors in the fifth inning which led to runs for Show Low. The weather was no help, in Show Low, it was really cold.”
Chinle ran into a buzz saw against Holbrook in the second game between the two teams. The Roadrunners posted an 11-0 win.
Holbrook pitcher Tristan Baldonado threw a no-hitter at Chinle.
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Highway 264,
I-40, WB @ Winslow