SUNRISE SOFTBALL: Skyhawks soar past Falcons with big inning

Trailing 4-1, Silverado softball coach Kyle Crane appeared remarkably relaxed as his team prepared to bat in the bottom of the fifth inning Thursday.

The Skyhawks had hit the ball hard all day, and Crane had faith that a big inning would come.

That faith was about to be generously rewarded.

Silverado sent 13 players to the plate in the fifth, scoring eight runs on nine hits on the way to a 12-4 losers’ bracket final victory in the Sunrise Region Tournament at Foothill.

The win lifted the Skyhawks (12-7) into today’s 3 p.m. championship, where they will face Green Valley (22-9).

Under the tournament’s double-elimination format, Silverado would have to defeat the Gators twice to claim the title.

Crane said he never doubted his offense would break through.

“We were driving the ball, and we talked about that,” he said. “I knew we just had to keep hitting it hard. We started looking for a certain pitch and being patient, and then the hitting became contagious.”

Foothill, which already had beaten Coronado in a semifinal game earlier in the day, appeared to have momentum on its side early. A two-run double by Aricia Dami gave the Falcons a 3-0 lead in the second inning.

The Skyhawks got one back in the third, but Foothill made it 4-1 with another run in the fifth.

Crane, who knew the Falcons’ pitching staff was depleted, said he hoped his hitters could wear down Foothill starter Dami.

“I felt like my pitching staff could hold up to their pitching staff,” he said. “Something had to break, and fortunately it wasn’t our pitching.”

Riana Splinter got things started with a two-run home run in the bottom of the fifth, and Brandi Splinter’s two-run single later in the inning gave the Skyhawks their first lead at 5-4. The Falcons used three pitchers in the inning, which ended with Silverado leading, 9-4.

Pitcher Hanna McCall, who sustained a foot injury at school earlier in the day, recovered and went the distance for the Skyhawks to earn the win.

Riana Splinter finished with two hits and four RBIs to lead the Silverado offense.

Hannah Stevens went 2-for-3 to lead Foothill (24-15).

Foothill 11, Coronado 1 — Sarah Penksa pitched a five-inning two-hitter to help the Falcons roll past the Cougars (25-12) in the early game.

Lauren Penksa went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI for Foothill, and teammates RaeAnn Brems and Alexia Campbell each hit three-run homers.

Alex Battest had a single and drove in Coronado’s only run on a fielder’s choice.