Walk-off homer ends Winslow’s season

Posted by Quentin Jodie | May 14, 2015 | Baseball |

Winslow’s Alicia Ohaco (4) grabs the ball and sets up to tag out Payson’s Karlie Smith (7) on Saturday in Phoenix. (Times photo – Donovan Quintero)

PHOENIX

In a game marked with controversy, Payson junior Arissa Paulson denied the Winslow softball team from reaching its seventh straight trip to the state championship game.

Paulson blasted a game-winning solo home run in the bottom of the eighth to beat Winslow 4-3 in the semifinals of the Arizona Division III state playoffs at Rose Mofford Park in Phoenix.

“We had them and we got ahead but with an extra-inning home run you can’t do much about that,” Winslow coach Kelli Fifelski said. “This was a battle and we knew it was going to be tough but we held our own. Everybody played hard today.

“We fell a little short today but I am super proud of them,” she added. “They should all be proud of themselves and not hang their heads. They played an awesome game.”

Before the start of last Saturday’s contest, the game was delayed 15 minutes as the officials had issues with both teams’ equipment.

Fifelski said the delay was a little rough and she did not understand why they were in question.

“I don’t know why it became a big deal because we used them the last two tournament games and they got checked out,” she said, while adding that even though the officials were different, everything at the state level needs to be consistent.