Basic erupts in 9-1 softball victory over Sierra Vista

Basic softball coach Lauren Taylor thought she might have cost her team runs by being too conservative coaching base runners in the third inning Friday.

It turned out that the Wolves had more than enough offense, as they pounded out 14 hits in a 9-1 road win over Sierra Vista.

Sixth-ranked Basic (11-5, 5-0 Desert League) had four hits in the third inning, including two that went off the center-field fence. But both of those ended up as singles, and Basic scored only one run to extend its lead to 2-0.

“That was kind of on me,” Taylor said. “Their center fielder was playing us probably about three feet off that fence. I played that one safe rather than sorry.”

Mikayla Berg drove a two-run double off the fence in center in the fourth inning, and Shelby Basso led off the fifth inning with a solo homer to dead center to key a four-run inning.

Eight Basic starters had at least one hit, led by leadoff batter Sanoe Helenihi, who was 3-for-5 with a double and four runs. Basso, Madison Berg and Lauren Koshak each went 2-for-4.

Taylor said her hitters were dialed in after noticing that Sierra Vista gave fourth-ranked Coronado a tough game Wednesday in a 4-2 loss.

“They were prepared yesterday at practice and saying, ‘Hey, not sure what we’re going to be walking into, but you know that they’re going to battle,’” Taylor said. “And we need to get in there with every single pitch with purpose.”

Basso pitched a six-hitter, striking out eight and walking one.

“It was popping today,” Taylor said of Basso’s fastball. “We’ve tried to rest her as much as possible so that she’s got all that strength moving forward. I think she regained some confidence.”

Aaliyah Medina was 2-for-3 with a double, a triple and an RBI for the eighth-ranked Mountain Lions (4-5, 3-2).

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Contact prep sports editor Damon Seiters at dseiters@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4597. Follow @DamonSeiters on Twitter.