SUNSET REGION: Panthers overcome errors, survive to down Aggies, Mustangs

Losers’ bracket softball games aren’t scored on style points.

They’re more about finding ways to win and survive to advance to play another day.

Palo Verde’s softball team made seven errors in two games Friday, but put together two of its grittier efforts of the year and lived to fight again.

The Panthers survived for a 5-4 win over Arbor View, then got a solid effort from pitcher Kelsey Sweeney to take down Shadow Ridge 6-1 in the losers’ bracket of the Sunset Region tournament at Bishop Gorman.

The defending Class 4A state champion Panthers (27-10) will face Centennial (29-7) for the region title at 9 a.m. Saturday at Gorman. If the Panthers win, a second game will be played at 1 p.m.

“They’re not ready to be done yet is what it comes down to,” Palo Verde coach Kelly Glass said. “They’re playing hard for their seniors. They’re playing hard for each other.

“I’m proud to have another day with this team.”

Palo Verde survived five errors and 10 stranded runners to nip the Aggies in the opener.

“We’re human, and we’re going to make mistakes,” Glass said. “We were able to battle through.”

Rachel Williams’ two-out single to left field in the second inning was misplayed, allowing two runs to score and giving the Panthers the lead for good.

Still, the Aggies (23-6) hung around and trailed 5-4 after Chelsa Baca’s one-out homer in the sixth.

Letty Valenzuela followed with a single, and Adrienne Drewniak greeted reliever Sweeney with a single to right, but Valenzuela was thrown out trying to go to third, essentially ending the threat.

Sweeney retired the Aggies in order in the seventh.

Williams went 3-for-4 with a double, and Lauren Oxford was 2-for-4 with two doubles for Palo Verde.
Williams and Sweeney combined on a five-hitter.

Sweeney tossed a six-hitter in the nightcap, and the Panthers broke open the game with four runs on one hit in the fifth inning.

Consecutive errors put runners at second and third for Angel Council, who executed a perfect suicide squeeze bunt to plate Jordan Menke and give the Panthers a 3-1 lead.

Oxford followed with a three-run homer to center field.

Melissa Lacro was 2-for-3 with a double for the Panthers.

Krislyn Campos went 2-for-3 with a double for the Mustangs (17-11).

Centennial has won all three meetings against Palo Verde this year, including a 2-0 victory on Wednesday.

“We have gotten better every time that we’ve played them, so we just need to keep getting better,” Glass said. “We just have to leave it on the field.”