Pitching and defense is the key to success for DomiNation

Posted by Oree Foster | Jun 2, 2016 | Baseball |

FORT DEFIANCE

After capturing the Double A baseball tournament championship last year, Native DomiNation will not defend its title from a year ago.

Instead Native DomiNation has moved up to compete in Triple A division during the 18th annual D-backs Inter-Tribal Youth Baseball Tournament at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick in Scottsdale, Ariz., June 8-11.

Salt River Fields at Talking Stick is the spring training home of the Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies.

Native DomiNation, a team made up mostly of Tuba City players along with a few players from Fort Defiance, Page and Monument Valley, has three games on tap in Pool 1, beginning with its opener against the Stampede on June 8 at Talking Stick Field 4. First pitch is set for 7 p.m. The second of three pool games is scheduled for June 9 at 7 p.m. against the Cardinals at Talking Stick Field 3. The final pool game is set for June 10 at 5 p.m. against Mesa Indians at Talking Stick Field 3.

The champion of each of the four pool advances to the tournament bracket on June 10. The winners of the two games meet for the tournament championship and the losers will play third place on June 11.

Native DomiNation head coach Henry Henderson expects all teams competing in Triple A baseball division to be challenging.

“We know good pitching will help our team respond favorably to certain situations,” Henderson said. “We have been conducting practices diligently, specifically hone in pitching, fielding and hitting. I feel we have a good team, however, they will have to come to play with the mental focus and physically being prepared to cope with the environmental heat and the opposing pitching heaters. My team is young and will be eligible to play another year at the Triple A level.”