2026 High School Softball

Willcox earns 2A state title behind freshman MVP Hattie Macumber, young lineup

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PHOENIX — Freshman ace and slugger Hattie Macumber, a household name in Southern Arizona after leading Willcox to the Little League World Series two years ago, continues to excel at a high level with a strong supporting cast.

Macumber led No. 5 Willcox High School to its first 2A state title since 2010 on Monday with a home run and seven solid innings in the circle in the Cowgirls’ 5-3 win over No. 2 Bullhead City Mohave Accelerated at Grand Canyon University.

Willcox also upset top-seeded Laveen Heritage Academy 8-4 last week in Phoenix to reach the championship game.

“We work so hard,” Macumber said. “We came in as the underdogs and haven’t won the state since 2010.

“I mean, we just worked so hard and now we’re here.”

Willcox, which finishes at 25-6, won the title despite having only one senior on its roster.

“Just work ethic; we’re all here (and) we’re all grinding,” Macumber said of winning a title with a young lineup. “We practiced in the rain. It was cold. But we still practiced it out and won.”

Macumber (25-5 with a 0.70 ERA) outdueled Mohave Accelerated senior Kennedy Lamb, who is headed to Marshall — the program Arizona will face Friday in the NCAA tournament at the Durham (N.C.) Regional. Former Arizona student manager Drew Calloway, a Sabino alum, is Marshall’s pitching coach.

Macumber scattered seven hits over seven innings, allowing three runs (only one earned) with seven strikeouts and no walks.

Lamb (16-2) allowed eight hits, five runs (three earned) and one walk while striking out seven.

Macumber and Lamb also each hit a home run in the game. Macumber was 2 for 3 with two runs and an RBI. Lamb was 3 for 4 with a run and two RBIs.

Lamb held Willcox to only one hit through the first three innings before Macumber opened the scoring with her 11th home run of the season. It was only the third home run Lamb has given up this season.

“Hattie is special; she works hard and she competes even harder,” Willcox coach Trevor Ward said.

An interesting note about Willcox’s first title in 16 years — Ward was an assistant coach on that 2010 team under Mike Patterson, who is now assisting Ward.

“Our goal was to flip this and let’s reverse the roles and get a state championship,” Ward said.

Nikki Dunlap, a standout infielder on the 2010 team, was in attendance Monday. She played at Arizona in 2014 after one season at Texas Tech.

Willcox increased its lead to 2-0 with two outs in the fifth inning after junior Lilyana Millenaar doubled, freshman Iza Pando singled and sophomore Janelle Vandermeulen followed with a single that scored Millennar.

Lamb’s 25th home run of the season cut the lead to 2-1 with two outs in the bottom of the fifth.

Gloria Encinas, a junior, hit an RBI single with one out in the sixth and Millenaar a two-run double with two outs to put the Cowgirls ahead 5-1.

Millenaar finished 3 for 3 with a run and two RBIs.

Two errors in the seventh inning led to an RBI single by Lamb with one out and a score on a sacrifice fly by Rayli Marin.

Macumber shut the door with a strikeout to end the game.

“Adversity for us is nothing; we’ve faced adversity all year,” Ward said. “We played the toughest 2A schedule in 2A. We’re playing No. 1 Mica Mountain, No. 1 Tanque Verde, who’s in the (3A) state championship. We did that on purpose to prepare us for games like this.”

Willcox lost twice to Empire (one by a 1-0 score), and once each to Tanque Verde, Mica Mountain and Tucson.

The Cowgirls beat higher-classified teams Sabino, Mesa Eastmark (twice), Walden Grove, Pusch Ridge and Goodyear Desert Edge.

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