SUNSET SOFTBALL: Aggies use big burst, hold on to edge Panthers
Arbor View’s softball team used a patient approach at the plate in its Sunset Region tournament opener on Monday.
It worked so well for the Aggies in a 7-3 win over Bishop Gorman, they stuck with it on Tuesday.
A day after turning four of six walks into runs to help beat Gorman, the Aggies used three walks and two hits to key a six-run second-inning burst en route to a 6-5 win at Palo Verde in a Sunset winners’ semifinal.
Arbor View (20-13) will meet Centennial (31-6) in the winners’ bracket final at 5 p.m. Wednesday at Gorman. Palo Verde (23-6) will face Cimarron-Memorial (18-13) in an elimination game at 3 p.m. at Gorman.
“Again, it’s being selective at the plate. We carried it into today, to be selective at the plate,” said Arbor View coach Maria Yoder. “We had a couple of full-count, extra-pitch walks which were helpful.”
The Aggies forced Panther starter Rachel Williams to throw 35 pitches in the second inning before chasing her from the game.
Letty Valenzuela started the rally when she was hit by a pitch.
The next three batters — Kellie Anderson, Marissa Bachman, and Ke’Anna Kamaka — all walked, with Kamaka’s walking forcing in Valenzuela.
Nekea Easterling then provided a two-out, two-run single, followed by an RBI single from Ashlyn Ames,.
Karli Lehr’s sharp grounder to shortstop was thrown away, allowing Easterling and Ames to score, giving Arbor View a 6-0 lead on two hits.
The Panthers responded with three runs in the bottom of the second on Kali Tomlinson’s two-run single between first and second, and Williams’ RBI single up the middle.
Ashlyn Ames tossed four innings in relief of Valenzuela to get the win.
“She does bring a faster fastball than Letty, and she brings a little more fire and determination than Letty,” said Yoder, whose team played errorless ball. “Ashlyn comes up with the attitude to throw hard and she does. She brought a presence on the field that was dominating.”
Palo Verde put together a late threat after Brooke Stover provided a two-out, two-run single in the bottom of the seventh to cut the lead to just one run. But Ames stranded Stover as she was able to get Breanna Beatty to ground out to second.
Williams finished with two hits, two stolen bases and an RBI for the Panthers.
Centennial 12, Shadow Ridge 2 — At Centennial, Taylor Huntly went 3-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs and tossed a six-inning seven-hitter to lead the Bulldogs by the Mustangs.
Alyssa Finger was 3-for-4 with a two-run homer, and Savannah Horvath went 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI for Centennial.
Marisa Miano went 3-for-3, and Tana Feiner and Sarah Pinkston each went 2-for-3 for Shadow Ridge (13-6), which will meet Bishop Gorman (20-12) in an elimination game at 1 p.m. at Gorman.
Cimarron-Memorial 5, Spring Valley 3 — At Cimarron, Karli Stafford’s three-run home run with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning lifted the Spartans by the Grizzlies (14-10).
Sarah Murphy walked with one out, and Sarina Creswell reached on an error to set the table for Stafford, who blasted the game-ending homer to left field.
Rosie DeLaRosa was 2-for-3 for Cimarron.
Georgi DeLio went 2-for-3 with two doubles for Spring Valley.
Bishop Gorman 13, Legacy 0 — At Gorman, Machenzie Tucky went 3-for-3 with a double and three RBIs, and Jasmine Gibson homered as the Gaels blanked the Longhorns (14-14) in five innings.
Dayton Yingling added a home run and pitched four innings with seven strikeouts for Gorman.
Shelby Estocado and Ashley Witucki each went 2-for-2 for the Gaels.
