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Bobcats triumph in tourney
Thelma Grimes
San Pedro Valley News-Sun
For the second year in a row, the Benson Bobcats' softball team dominated opponents to take first place in the San Manuel Tournament.
Officially kicking off the 2007 season on Friday, the Lady Bobcats got back to their winning ways in a six-game stretch that showed some power hitting.
In the first round the Bobcats took on Hayden. After two scoreless innings, both teams got on the board in the third with Benson scoring three runs and Hayden bringing in two.
Scoring for the Bobcats were Deana Shull, Megan 'Dirt' Huerta and Brooke Tibbitts.
Shull was 3-3 on the day with two runs, Huerta was 1 for 3 with an RBI, two runs and one walk and Tibbitts was 1-2 with two runs, an RBI and a walk.
In the fourth inning the Bobcats put the game away, scoring eight more runs. It was a team effort as Gabi Cardenas, Shull, Chelsey Layton, Huerta, Tibbitts, Brittney Batten, Chelsea Bellmore and Shalena Solis each scored a run.
In the 11-2 victory, Megan Ellsworth was the winning pitcher with eight strikeouts, no walks and allowed two unearned runs.
In the second round the Bobcats took on Florence and was able to come away with another 11-2 victory.
It was again a team effort on offense as the Lady Bobcats scored nine runs in the first two innings.
Solis led the Bobcats, going 3-3 at bat with thee runs, four RBIs, a double and a triple. Ellsworth was also 3-3 with three RBIs and a double.
Ellsworth was the winning pitcher, racking up five strikeouts after three innings. Relief pitcher Layton, pitched two innings, allowing two unearned runs with one strikeout and one walk.
In game three, the Bobcats had no problems in an 18-1 win over Show Low, which took four innings.
Ellsworth was again the wining pitcher, allowing one unearned run with seven strikeouts and zero walks.
At bat, Huerta led the Bobcats, going 2-2 with four runs and two walks. Ellsworth was 3-4 with six RBIs, two doubles and a triple. Batten also went 3-4 with four runs, an RBI, a double and two stolen bases.
Assistant Coach Ernie Batten said the Bobcats did a great job on offense in the two-day tournament.
"This was a great start to the season with six quality wins to allow us to repeat as the San Manuel tourney champions," he said. "Our girls just knocked the cover off the ball all weekend. We would like to thank San Manuel for great hospitality and a well run tournament."
In the fourth round the Bobcats defeated Superior 11-2.
Changing things up, Batten, who usually plays catcher, got her first win as a Bobcats' pitcher. Batten pitched four innings allowing two unearned runs, four strikeouts and two walks.
On offense, Batten was 2-3, scoring two runs with a double, a walk and a stolen base. Tibbitts was 2-3, scoring three runs with an RBI, a walk and a stolen base.
In the semi-finals, Ellsworth improved to a 4-0 pitching record, and the Bobcats won in their lowest scoring game of the tournament.
Going into the top of the fourth inning, the Bobcats held a one-run lead after Batten scored in the bottom of the first. Florence got on the board to tie things up at one all, but in the bottom of the fourth the Bobcats' Bellmore and Solis scored to extend the lead to 3-1.
In the fifth, Florence tied things up again, but the Bobcats' offense wouldn't go away, scoring another five runs to capture the 8-3 victory.
Ellsworth pitched the entire game, racking up seven strikeouts, no walks and allowed three earned runs.
At bat, Solis was 3-3 with two runs, three RBIs and a homerun. Ellsworth was 3-3 with three RBIs and two doubles.
After losing five seniors from the 2006 squad, Coach Shad Housley said he was pleased with how the team's senior, five juniors, one sophomore and two freshmen stepped up to the plate this weekend.
"It is a long season, but we were extremely happy with what we were able to accomplish against some very good 2A and 3A teams in the state this weekend," he said.
In the championship round the Bobcats faced Show Low for the second time in the tournament.
The Bobcats came out swinging, scoring 13 runs in the first three innings. Show Low's lone run came in the fifth, and the game was called due to the state's 10-run mercy rule, giving Benson the 18-1 victory.
Ellsworth finished the weekend 5-0, racking up another five strikeouts and allowed only one unearned run.
At bat, Huerta was 2-2 with two runs, an RBI and a walk. Solis finished the game with a run, three RBIs a double and a triple.
"I was very happy with the way the girls came to the field prepared to play," Housley said. "They were able to do some things this weekend that showed us we might be farther along now then we were last year at this time. I think all the girls understand that we have to be prepared day in and day out to bring our best to the table. There are a lot of good teams out there and we have to be prepared to perform well against each of them."
The Bobcats opened the regular season against 2A East Conference opponents the Tombstone Yellow Jackets on Tuesday, and will travel to Payson to take on Seton Catholic on Thursday.
San Pedro Valley News-Sun
For the second year in a row, the Benson Bobcats' softball team dominated opponents to take first place in the San Manuel Tournament.
Officially kicking off the 2007 season on Friday, the Lady Bobcats got back to their winning ways in a six-game stretch that showed some power hitting.
In the first round the Bobcats took on Hayden. After two scoreless innings, both teams got on the board in the third with Benson scoring three runs and Hayden bringing in two.
Scoring for the Bobcats were Deana Shull, Megan 'Dirt' Huerta and Brooke Tibbitts.
Shull was 3-3 on the day with two runs, Huerta was 1 for 3 with an RBI, two runs and one walk and Tibbitts was 1-2 with two runs, an RBI and a walk.
In the fourth inning the Bobcats put the game away, scoring eight more runs. It was a team effort as Gabi Cardenas, Shull, Chelsey Layton, Huerta, Tibbitts, Brittney Batten, Chelsea Bellmore and Shalena Solis each scored a run.
In the 11-2 victory, Megan Ellsworth was the winning pitcher with eight strikeouts, no walks and allowed two unearned runs.
In the second round the Bobcats took on Florence and was able to come away with another 11-2 victory.
It was again a team effort on offense as the Lady Bobcats scored nine runs in the first two innings.
Solis led the Bobcats, going 3-3 at bat with thee runs, four RBIs, a double and a triple. Ellsworth was also 3-3 with three RBIs and a double.
Ellsworth was the winning pitcher, racking up five strikeouts after three innings. Relief pitcher Layton, pitched two innings, allowing two unearned runs with one strikeout and one walk.
In game three, the Bobcats had no problems in an 18-1 win over Show Low, which took four innings.
Ellsworth was again the wining pitcher, allowing one unearned run with seven strikeouts and zero walks.
At bat, Huerta led the Bobcats, going 2-2 with four runs and two walks. Ellsworth was 3-4 with six RBIs, two doubles and a triple. Batten also went 3-4 with four runs, an RBI, a double and two stolen bases.
Assistant Coach Ernie Batten said the Bobcats did a great job on offense in the two-day tournament.
"This was a great start to the season with six quality wins to allow us to repeat as the San Manuel tourney champions," he said. "Our girls just knocked the cover off the ball all weekend. We would like to thank San Manuel for great hospitality and a well run tournament."
In the fourth round the Bobcats defeated Superior 11-2.
Changing things up, Batten, who usually plays catcher, got her first win as a Bobcats' pitcher. Batten pitched four innings allowing two unearned runs, four strikeouts and two walks.
On offense, Batten was 2-3, scoring two runs with a double, a walk and a stolen base. Tibbitts was 2-3, scoring three runs with an RBI, a walk and a stolen base.
In the semi-finals, Ellsworth improved to a 4-0 pitching record, and the Bobcats won in their lowest scoring game of the tournament.
Going into the top of the fourth inning, the Bobcats held a one-run lead after Batten scored in the bottom of the first. Florence got on the board to tie things up at one all, but in the bottom of the fourth the Bobcats' Bellmore and Solis scored to extend the lead to 3-1.
In the fifth, Florence tied things up again, but the Bobcats' offense wouldn't go away, scoring another five runs to capture the 8-3 victory.
Ellsworth pitched the entire game, racking up seven strikeouts, no walks and allowed three earned runs.
At bat, Solis was 3-3 with two runs, three RBIs and a homerun. Ellsworth was 3-3 with three RBIs and two doubles.
After losing five seniors from the 2006 squad, Coach Shad Housley said he was pleased with how the team's senior, five juniors, one sophomore and two freshmen stepped up to the plate this weekend.
"It is a long season, but we were extremely happy with what we were able to accomplish against some very good 2A and 3A teams in the state this weekend," he said.
In the championship round the Bobcats faced Show Low for the second time in the tournament.
The Bobcats came out swinging, scoring 13 runs in the first three innings. Show Low's lone run came in the fifth, and the game was called due to the state's 10-run mercy rule, giving Benson the 18-1 victory.
Ellsworth finished the weekend 5-0, racking up another five strikeouts and allowed only one unearned run.
At bat, Huerta was 2-2 with two runs, an RBI and a walk. Solis finished the game with a run, three RBIs a double and a triple.
"I was very happy with the way the girls came to the field prepared to play," Housley said. "They were able to do some things this weekend that showed us we might be farther along now then we were last year at this time. I think all the girls understand that we have to be prepared day in and day out to bring our best to the table. There are a lot of good teams out there and we have to be prepared to perform well against each of them."
The Bobcats opened the regular season against 2A East Conference opponents the Tombstone Yellow Jackets on Tuesday, and will travel to Payson to take on Seton Catholic on Thursday.
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