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Photo Courtesy SMHS
The San Manuel softball team won its first four games of the 12th Annual Salt River/Chandler Prep Softball Classic to make it to the Platinum Division Championship Game, which took place last Saturday at Valley Christian High School.
The Lady Miners defeated Chinle, Walden Grove, Paradise Honors, and Combs before facing Ray for the championship. The Lady Cats avenged an earlier season loss against the Lady Miners and won the softball classic title, 7 – 1.
In the 8 – 2 win against Paradise Honors last Friday, senior ace Lyana Waddell earned the complete-game victory, allowing two runs – one earned – on seven hits with eight strikeouts. She did not walk a batter in the game.
Waddell, a Western New Mexico commit, also had two hits in the game.
Nikki Baldenegro, Brianna Galarza, and Natalia Ortega each had a hit and two RBI to lead the Lady Miners’ offensive attack. Dionne Ruiz went 1-for-3 with an RBI-double.
Upcoming schedule: Mar. 23 at Benson, Mar. 24 vs. Hayden (3:45 p.m.), and Mar. 29 at Walden Grove. All games are scheduled for 4 p.m. unless otherwise noted.
Andrew Luberda began writing for Copper Area News Publishers (CANP) in February 2013 after working 15 years in Healthcare Financial Management. Andy covers sports for 11 high schools. His stories are published in Copper Basin News, San Manuel Miner and Superior Sun, in addition to the San Tan Valley Daily PRSS and CopperArea websites. Additionally, he has written human interest stories and business profiles. In May 2012, he earned an AAS in Sports Management at Central Arizona College before graduating with a BS in Communication from Arizona State University in 2014. He and his wife, Kelli, have three sons – AJ, Kyle, and Kade.
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