SUNSET REGION: Gage’s catch snags momentum, win for Desert Oasis

Cimarron-Memorial needed only 10 pitches to grab a 3-0 lead and all sorts of momentum Tuesday.

Desert Oasis left fielder Dayana Gage needed only one catch to rob the Spartans of an extra-base hit, their momentum, and quite possibly the game.

Gage made a spectacular running catch in left field to start a first-inning double play and spark the Diamondbacks (17-16) to a come-from-behind 8-6 win over the visiting Spartans in the opening round of the Sunset Region softball tournament.

“That was a pretty big catch because it got our motivation up,” Gage said. “Coach has been working with the outfielders on a drop step and run, and I used it and caught the ball.”

Cimarron chased Desert Oasis starter Lenzi Cram after only nine pitches, loading the bases on a walk, a misplayed sacrifice bunt and a hit batter.

Cram uncorked a wild pitch to allow Hannah Williams to score, and Reanna Bass greeted reliever C.J. Wilson with a two-run single to right center, giving the Spartans a three-run lead.

Carli Stafford followed with what appeared to be a sure double, but Gage got a great jump and ran the ball down in deep left-center. With Bass already halfway to third, the Diamondbacks easily turned the catch into a double play.

“She has made some amazing catches this year. She’s got that long stride, and she just does what she does,” Desert Oasis coach Jerome Streets said. “That’s a huge double play. To make a catch that nobody thought she was going to get to, and then turn around and throw it into the infield and get the double play, it basically stopped their momentum.”

Kayla Johnson then doubled, but Wilson got out of the inning without any more damage.

The spark from Gage’s catch carried over into the bottom of the first as a leadoff walk and an infield hit by Gage set up Emily Heinz, who drilled a two-run double to start a five-run inning.

“We’ve been known to be the comeback kids,” Gage said.

The Spartans (20-12) hurt themselves with two errors, a misplayed squeeze bunt and a wild pitch in the inning, and never fully recovered.

Cimarron trailed 8-4 entering the seventh, but used a pair of errors and an RBI hit by Stafford to creep within 8-6 and had the potential go-ahead run at the plate with one out.

But Wilson got a pop out and a fielder’s choice grounder to third base to end the game.

Wilson threw seven innings of relief, allowing three unearned runs on eight hits as the teams combined for 10 errors and a handful of mental mistakes.

“They want to battle for each other,” Streets said of his two pitchers. “There’s no jealousy. They don’t like to see the other one struggle. They’ve been great for us all year.”

Gage finished 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI for Desert Oasis, which will face Palo Verde (26-8) in a winners’ bracket semifinal at 3 p.m. Wednesday at Faith Lutheran.

Johnson was 3-for-4, and Hannah Williams went 2-for-3 for Cimarron, which meets Bishop Gorman (14-14-1) in an elimination game at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday at Gorman.

Palo Verde 10, Bishop Gorman 0 — At Palo Verde, Rachel Williams tossed a four-hitter and struck out five as the Panthers routed the Gaels in five innings.

Williams also went 3-for-4 with a double and three RBIs for Palo Verde.

Centennial 14, Clark 6 — At Centennial, Taylor Huntly went 3-for-4 with two RBIs, and the Bulldogs (21-10) overcame an early 4-0 deficit to down the Chargers.

Kylie Bartlett was 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs, and Heather Bowen went 2-for-3 with a double for Centennial, which led 13-5 after three innings.

Centennial will meet Durango (22-10) in a winners’ bracket semifinal at 5 p.m. Wednesday at Faith Lutheran.

Julia Hagen was 3-for-3 with two triples, a double and four RBIs to pace Clark (18-14). Shannon

Chapman was 2-for-3, and Jasmine Fukuda went 2-for-4 for the Chargers, who face Shadow Ridge (13-9) in an elimination game at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday at Gorman.

Durango 7, Shadow Ridge 3 — At Durango, the Trailblazers made the most of three singles to rally from a 3-0 deficit and top the Mustangs.

Durango trailed 3-0 before scoring six runs in the fourth.

Nicole Schultz led off the inning with a single and advanced to second when Mindy Larson reached on an error. Katie Moore’s RBI single got the Trailblazers on the scoreboard.

A walk to Kendal Short loaded the bases before Samantha Juarez was hit by a pitch to make it 3-2.

Marley Sandoval’s grounder to second was misplayed, allowing three runs to score to give the Trailblazers the lead for good.

Krislyn Campos was 2-for-3 with two doubles, and Mary Jordan went 2-for-3 for Shadow Ridge.