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Yavapai College Softball Captures Region Championship



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After earning hosting rights to the 2022 NJCAA Division I Region I Tournament with a 50-3 regular-season record (42-2 record in the conference), the No. 2-ranked Yavapai College softball team went 4-1 in the tournament, including a 3-0 effort in the Saturday, May 7th matchups, to capture the 2022 Region I Championship, 2022 West District Championship and clinch a spot in the NJCAA National Championship Tournament. All three feats double as back-to-back honors as the Roughriders also won the 2021 region tournament.

Yavapai College, softball, championships, Roughrider softball, Yavapai College Softball, Prescott Softball

By Chris Henstra

“As a coach of 21 years, I couldn’t be more proud of what this team accomplished today,” Head Coach Doug Eastman said. “This is a very special group and sometimes, I find myself in awe of their desire to succeed.”

All three games the Roughriders won on Saturday were elimination contests with the first being a 10-5 victory over the No. 12-ranked Eastern Arizona College Gila Monsters. Following that win, Yavapai defeated the No. 9-ranked Central Arizona College Vaqueras twice with scores of 10-0 and 20-4 to clinch the region championship.

The Most Valuable Player award of the tournament went to Yavapai’s freshman pitcher Emily Darwin. Darwin started all three games, pitched a shutout in game two and pitched another complete game in game three.

“I could go on and on about what each individual accomplished today, but the effort that Emily Darwin gave us today was simply masterful,” said Eastman. “[Assistant Coach Erika Bennett] and I are proud coaches!”

While Darwin was brilliant on the mound, several Roughrider bats also dominated the day as sophomore utility woman Alyssa Rosales and freshman catcher Jasmine Moreno each boasted three-homer games on the day. In addition, freshman infielder Lovey Kepa’a launched two homers in game three to give her 33 on the season, breaking the Yavapai softball single-season home-run record that was previously held by Jaydee Boursaw who had 32 in 2017.

Game One: YC 10 – EAC 5

The first ballgame of the day did not get off to a great start for the Roughriders. The Gila Monsters built a 3-0 lead in the first two innings and it could have been much larger had it not been for an outfield assist from sophomore outfielder Kayla Rodgers in the first inning and a couple of outs that the Gila Monsters ran into at home while trying to score on passed balls in the second inning.

In the bottom of the second, Yavapai capitalized on some sloppy defense from Eastern and stole a run and scored on an RBI double off the bat of sophomore outfielder Mia Weckel to cut the deficit to 3-2. Both runs were scored with two outs.

In the bottom of the third, freshman infielder Yaya Kaaialii launched a solo homer to center to tie things up as the Roughrider bats started to heat up.

The Roughriders then took the lead for good in the bottom of the fourth as Rodgers tallied a two-out two-run triple with a perfectly-placed hit down the left-field line to give the Riders a 5-3 lead.

The hustle play of the day also took place on the defensive side of the ball for the Roughriders in the top of the fifth inning in their tilt with the Gila Monsters. With runners on first and second and one out, Moreno backpicked an Eastern Arizona runner at second. After a botched throw from the rundown went into centerfield, Weckel, who was backing up the play in perfect position, fielded the errant throw and fired a strike to second base to salvage an out and help keep the Gila Monsters scoreless in the inning.

With momentum now wearing green and gold, the Roughriders put the contest on ice with three runs in the bottom of the fifth and two runs in the bottom of the sixth.

In the fifth, Rosales singled with a couple of runners on base and saw both score on an error from the Eastern Arizona left fielder. Later in the inning, freshman outfielder Sierra Griego doubled in Rosales for an 8-3 lead.

In the sixth, Rodgers came home on a passed ball and Moreno tallied a sacrifice fly for a 10-3 lead.

The Gila Monsters were able to scratch a couple of runs across in the top of the seventh to bring the game to its final score of 10-5.

Inside the circle, sophomore pitcher Emily Dix pitched 5.2 innings of relief and struck out seven along the way. Freshman pitcher Abby Cruz also made a relief appearance and got the final out of the ballgame.

At the plate, in game one, Kaaialii led the way with three hits while freshman infielder Makena Riggs and Griego each had two. Weckel, Rodgers, Moreno, and Rosales all had one.

Game Two: YC 10 – CAC 0

Darwin was the story in game two as she started inside the circle and twirled a complete-game shutout with seven strikeouts and just five hits allowed.

While Darwin shut down the Vaqueras bats, the Roughriders were relentless offensively and scored in all six of their offensive innings of the contest.

In the bottom of the first, Kepa’a tallied an RBI single with the bases loaded and in the bottom of the second, Rosales left the yard to lead off the frame.

In the bottom of the third, Rosales brought home a run with a sacrifice fly and was followed by a bases-loaded RBI single off the bat of Weckel to make it a 4-0 ballgame.

In the bottom of the fourth, Moreno blasted a solo homer down the left-field line, and later in the inning, Rosales launched her second homer of the game, a two-run shot that made it 7-0 YC.

Rodgers earned an RBI groundout in the bottom of the fifth and was followed by a sacrifice fly off the bat of Kaaialii for a 9-0 lead.

Rosales then launched a solo homer in the bottom of the sixth for her third longball of the game and fifth RBI of the game to bring the score to its eventual final of 10-0.

At the plate, in game two, Rosales and Griego each had three hits while Weckel and Kepa’a each had two. Rodgers and Moreno each had one hit as well.

Game Three: YC 20 – CAC 4

What had the makings of a dramatic, winner-take-all region championship game turned into a Roughrider hit parade/home-run derby as Yavapai scored 20 runs, tallied 20 hits, and launched eight homers in the contest.

With big-time run support, Darwin tossed another complete-game gem. The freshman struck out eight over seven innings and didn’t allow a run until the top of the sixth when the Vaqueras scored three times after being down 18-0. Central tallied one more run in the top of the seventh to bring the game to its final of 20-4.

In the bottom of the first, the Roughriders scored five runs with two outs as Riggs drove in one with a single, Kepa’a drove in one with a double, Rosales doubled in two and Griego singled in one.

Moreno then launched a two-run homer in the bottom of the second and Riggs made it back-to-back jacks with a solo shot on the next pitch to bring the score to 8-0 in favor of YC.

The Roughriders were held off the scoreboard in the bottom of the third, however, they responded with a 10-spot in the bottom of the fourth inning that was sheer madness.

Freshman catcher Ashley Fields tallied an RBI with a bases-loaded walk in the inning and was followed by a bases-loaded single from Griego that brought home three runs after an error by the Central Arizona left fielder. Griego was also thrown out on the play.

With two outs and no one on base, the Roughriders started hitting softballs out of the ballpark at an insane rate. Weckel and Rodgers went back-to-back with solo shots for a 14-0 lead and after a walk from Kaaialii, Moreno demolished a two-run homer to push the score 16-0. Riggs followed Moreno with a single and then scored on a two-run homer off the bat of Kepa’a to make it 18-0 in favor of YC.

After a scoreless fifth inning, Moreno launched her third homer of the game in the bottom of the sixth and was followed by a solo homer from Kepa’a to break the aforementioned Yavapai softball single-season home-run record and give the Riders 20 runs in the contest.

At the plate, in game three, Moreno, Riggs, and Kepa’a each tallied four hits while Weckel and Griego each had two. Rodgers, Kaaialii, Rosales and Fields each finished with one.

Up Next

The Roughriders are off to Yuma, Arizona, where they will look to earn their third national championship in program history at the NJCAA National Championship Tournament. Softball begins on May 24 at the Pacific Avenue Athletic Complex with game times and opponents to be determined. Stay tuned on GoRoughriders.com and all of Yavapai athletics’ social media channels for the latest information.

Read more stories in Sports on Signals A Z.com.


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