SUNSET REGION: Efficient Huntly pitches Bulldogs past Durango

Centennial softball coach Mike Livreri says his team has a motto: “Get ’em in and out of the box in three pitches.”

The Bulldogs did just that Friday, as sophomore Taylor Huntly used only 42 pitches to spin a four-hitter and defeat Durango 12-1 in five innings in the Sunset Region losers’ bracket final at Bishop Gorman.

Centennial (23-11) will meet defending region champion Palo Verde (28-8) at 9 a.m. Saturday at Gorman for the region title.

Centennial would have to top the Panthers twice to win the title.

Huntly was in command of her curveball and drop ball, and did well to keep the ball away from Durango’s more dangerous hitters. The Trailblazers scored eight runs against Centennial on Wednesday.

“I knew I had a great defense behind me that would have my back,” Huntly said. “I was worried about (Durango’s) Sam (Juarez), Nicole (Schultz) and Katie (Moore). I wanted to keep it low and outside on Katie, and inside on the others, and it worked.”

Livreri knew that Durango’s lineup wasn’t to be taken lightly.

“We played them the other day and they hit the ball well, so we knew we couldn’t let up,” Livreri said. “Taylor was definitely on her game today. Mainly the curveball was working. She didn’t go deep into many counts.”

Centennial’s bats were potent, as the Bulldogs scored six runs in the third inning to pull away.

With the score tied 1-1, the Bulldogs batted around in the top of the third, highlighted by Kylie Bartlett’s RBI double off the left field fence.

Heather Bowen finished 4-for-4 with two doubles, three runs, and an RBI, and Bailee Nelson went 3-for-3 with a double, two runs and two RBIs for Centennial, which got two hits apiece from Huntly, Mia Acuna, and Alyssa Finger.

Schultz tripled and scored on an single by Moore for Durango (24-12), which was eliminated.