SUNSET REGION: Bulldogs continue offensive barrage, outslug Durango
Scoring bunches of runs isn’t much of a rarity for Centennial’s softball team.
The Bulldogs had at least 10 runs in a game 14 times in the regular season.
But if the first two days of the Sunset Region tournament are any indication, Centennial might be even better in the postseason.
After hanging 14 runs on Clark in Tuesday’s tourney opener, the Bulldogs pounded out 19 hits Wednesday en route to a 13-8 win over Southwest League champion Durango in a winners’ bracket semifinal at Faith Lutheran.
Centennial (22-10) will face rival Palo Verde (27-8) in the winners’ bracket final at 4 p.m. Thursday at Bishop Gorman.
“Once one person starts hitting, we all hit,” said Centennial freshman third baseman Savannah Horvath, who went 4-for-5 with two RBIs. “We looked for pitches we wanted and just drove it. There’s not much to it.”
The hitting proved to be contagious. All 10 Bulldogs who batted in the game had at least one hit.
“Our bats were hot today, no doubt,” Centennial coach Mike Livreri said. “We believe that our lineup is pretty strong, top to bottom.”
Centennial knocked around Durango starter Dallas Boyce for five runs on seven hits — including consecutive doubles by Taylor Huntly, Alyssa Finger and Kylie Bartlett — in the second inning.
Finger, Bartlett, Alyssa Hotman and Mikayla Djordjevic, and pinch-hitter Maddie Henzlik — the Nos. 5 through 8 hitters in the Centennial lineup — were a combined 10-for-16. Djordjevic and Finger each had three hits. Bartlett added a homer and a double.
But Durango never let Centennial get too far out of reach until the end.
After falling behind 5-0, the Trailblazers (22-11) scored three unearned runs in the bottom of the second, and battled back from an 8-3 deficit to pull within 8-7 on a fielding error in the fifth.
Centennial responded with four more runs on four hits in the sixth to finally put the game away.
Samantha Juarez, Marley Sandoval, Lauren Benfield and Alyssa Martine each had two hits for the Trailblazers, who will face Cimarron-Memorial (21-12) in an elimination game at 3 p.m. Thursday at Faith Lutheran.
Palo Verde has won all three meetings against Centennial this season, including a 2-1, eight-inning nail-biter last week.
“We have to have timely hitting,” Livreri said. “We need to have solid defense. We have to scratch out a run or two.”
Palo Verde 11, Desert Oasis 1 — At Faith Lutheran, Cheryl Iddings went 3-for-4 and belted a game-ending grand slam to right field in the bottom of the sixth inning as the Panthers moved into the winners’ bracket final by routing the Diamondbacks in six innings.
Melissa McCormick fired a one-hitter, walking one and striking out 11, as Desert Oasis (17-17) had only three hitters reach base.
Palo Verde trailed 1-0 before scoring on a double error in the bottom of the first inning. The Panthers got the go-ahead run on Melissa Lacro’s bases-loaded sacrifice fly in the third and never looked back, scoring seven runs in the final two innings.
Angel Council, Breanna Beatty, Rachael Williams and Danielle Hearn each added two hits for Palo Verde.
Taylor Beacham’s RBI double was the Diamondbacks’ only hit. Desert Oasis will meet Shadow Ridge (14-9) in an elimination game at 5 p.m. Thursday at Faith Lutheran.
Cimarron-Memorial 3, Bishop Gorman 2 — At Gorman, Kayla Johnson scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch in the bottom of the sixth inning as the Spartans eliminated the Gaels (14-15-1).
Johnson reached on a fielder’s choice and stole second and third before coming home on the wild pitch.
Carrie Sheehan tossed a three-hitter for Cimarron, which trailed 2-1 in the fourth inning.
Ashley Doherty was 2-for-3, and Sarah Murphy went 1-for-3 with an RBI for Cimarron.
Shadow Ridge 16, Clark 6 — At Gorman, Mary Jordan had a home run and five RBIs to help the Mustangs eliminate the Chargers in six innings.
Taylor Velarde added two doubles and two RBIs, and Krislyn Campos had a double, a triple and an RBI for Shadow Ridge.
Anna Jaehn had a triple and three RBIs for Clark (18-15).
