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Mackenzie Vindiola prepares to hammer one out. Staff | SMHS
San Manuel Miner
After finishing the regular season with 25 wins, which included a 19-game winning streak, and a Sectional Championship, the Lady Miners are ready to defend their title. Last year’s State Champion enters the 2014 Division IV State Championship as the number two seed.
The Lady Miners had their 19-game winning streak snapped in the final game of the season, a 5 – 1 loss to Ray. After being ranked at, or near, the top of the Division IV rankings all season, that loss more than likely cost them the top seed in this year’s tournament. With a number of players with playoffs experience, the seeding is unlikely to faze the veteran team.
Pitcher Lyana Waddell is one of the top pitchers in the state and is ranked first or second in wins, ERA, and strikeouts. Felicia Medina, Alyssa Cuellar, and Angelica Zuniga are in the top five of one or more offensive categories.
The Lady Miners will take on 18th-seeded St. Gregory at 6:00 p.m. on May 9 at the Rose Mofford Softball Complex in Phoenix. The game will be played on Field #6. With a win, the Lady Miners will play the winner between 23rd-seeded Hayden and 7th-seeded Desert Christian on May 10 at 9:30 a.m.
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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