Window Rock rallies late past Chinle, 6-1, behind Billison's 10 strikeouts

Window Rock turned a one-run pitchers’ duel into a 6-1 statement over Chinle on Wednesday, using a late surge to improve to 7-12-1 overall and 4-3 in 3A North play. The Fighting Scouts also completed a season sweep of the Lady Wildcats, a result that carries extra weight in Apache County with the 3A North tournament set for April 23-25 at Page High School.

Chinle struck first when courtesy runner Angie Castillo scored on a ground ball, but the lead did not last. Charley kept the Lady Wildcats in front early with 11 strikeouts, and the game stayed tight until Window Rock tied it in the fifth inning. From there, the pace shifted decisively toward the Fighting Scouts, who scored five runs over the final two innings to pull away.

Robyn Billison gave Window Rock the foundation it needed. The junior worked all seven innings, allowed one unearned run on five hits and struck out 10, according to MaxPreps. The innings after the tie belonged to the Fighting Scouts’ offense, with sophomore McKayla Young helping ignite the rally and Window Rock pairing timely contact with aggressive running that kept Chinle under constant pressure.

Mia Etsitty was a major part of that pressure. She went 1-for-3 with two runs and three stolen bases, while Window Rock finished with eight steals as a team. Paisley Begay added two stolen bases, giving the Fighting Scouts repeated chances to turn traffic on the bases into runs as the game tightened.

The win mattered beyond a single afternoon. Window Rock entered the matchup ranked 23rd overall in Arizona and third in the 3A North conference, while Chinle was 34th overall and sixth in the conference. Chinle, which had lost five of its previous six games, fell to 7-13 overall and 2-6 in region play.

For Karen Tom, who returned to her alma mater as head coach in March 2024, the result underscored how much regional positioning still runs through this rivalry. With Page, Monument Valley, Ganado, Tuba City and Mogollon all in the broader 3A North mix, Window Rock’s late push gave it both bragging rights and a stronger hand heading into the region tournament.