SUNRISE SOFTBALL: Gators put pressure on, edge Rams in eight innings

It didn’t stop the Gators from scoring the tying and winning runs, though.

Green Valley put six runners on base in the final three innings and scored on a throwing error in the sixth inning and a dropped sinking liner in the eighth to nip visiting Rancho, 2-1 in a Sunrise Region winners’ bracket semifinal.

The Gators (21-9) will meet Silverado (11-6) in the winners’ final at 5 p.m. Wednesday at Foothill. Rancho (21-12) will face Coronado (23-12) in an elimination game at 3 p.m. Wednesday at Foothill.

“Man, that felt good,” said Green Valley coach Lauren Taylor, whose team lost twice to Rancho during the regular season. “We put the ball in play, and if you put the ball in play, that’s when errors are going to happen. Put it on the ground, hit it out there, let the other team make mistakes, and then capitalize on it.”

The Gators’ winning rally started with a delay-of-game-aided walk to No. 9 hitter Anysa Calderon. Calderon checked her swing on a 1-2 pitch, and as the call was being appealed, Rancho catcher McKinzi Vega fired the ball to first. The pitch was ruled a ball and another ball was assessed for the throw to first.

The next pitch was low, allowing Calderon to take first.

She moved to second on Maggie Manwarren’s sacrifice and to third on Chelsea Perez’s bouncer to the circle.

“Little things make big things happen,” Taylor said.

After Cori Sutton was grazed by a pitch, Fenixx Henderson hit a sinking liner to left field. Rancho’s Tori Hafen appeared to get a late jump on the ball and tried to backhand it at about thigh-level. The ball hit her glove and rolled away.

Rancho grabbed a 1-0 lead in the fifth when Kayla Coles scored from first on a throwing error with two outs.

“We got kind of down, but I told them if they were going to let one run determine the rest of their regional play, they didn’t deserve it,” Taylor said. “We have the ability to come back and beat teams.”

The Gators got the run back on an identical play in the sixth. With two outs, Manwarren scored from first on a throwing error.

Green Valley’s Fenixx Henderson allowed just six hits. She struck out five and walked two.

Rancho’s Brandy Marlett surrendered only three hits while striking out seven and walking two. Both walks led to Green Valley runs.

Silverado 7, Las Vegas 4 — At Silverado, Brandi Splinter tripled and drove in three runs as the Skyhawks scored six runs in the first inning and went on to beat the Wildcats (17-11).

Cierra Turner had a triple, and Kristina Nelson doubled for Las Vegas, which will face Foothill (23-14) in an elimination game at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Foothill.

Foothill 3, Liberty 0 — At Foothill, Aricia Dami tossed a three-hitter and struck out six as the Falcons (23-14) eliminated the Patriots (10-10).

Dami also hit a two-run double in a three-run second inning for Foothill.

Coronado 11, Basic 1 — At Coronado, Basia Query went 3-for-4 with a double, three runs and three RBIs as the Cougars eliminated the Wolves (7-9) in a five-inning game.

Jaiden Johnson went 2-for-4 with three RBIs, and Danielle Amato tossed a three-hitter with eight strikeouts for Coronado.

Rachel Snyder was 2-for-2 with a double and an RBI for Basic.