Palo Verde overcomes errors to reach final

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

They're more about finding ways to win and surviving to play another day.

Palo Verde 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 Sunset Region tournament at Bishop Gorman.

The defending Class 4A state champion Panthers (27-10) face Centennial (29-7) for the region title at 9 a.m. today 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."

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

Rachel Williams' two-out single 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 singled, but Valenzuela was thrown out trying to go to third, essentially ending the threat.

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).

SUNRISE REGION

Foothill pitcher Alex Petrolia has been around long enough to know that postseason victories rarely come easily.

The senior was forced to endure extreme heat, poor defense and a bases-loaded jam in the sixth inning but remained calm to lead the host Falcons to a 4-2 win over Green Valley in the losers' bracket final.

It was her second win of the day and lifted the Falcons (26-8) into today's region championship, where they will play Coronado (22-11) at 11 a.m. at Bishop Gorman. Foothill would have to beat the Cougars twice to claim the title.

"I live for that situation," said Petrolia, who struck out the final two Green Valley batters to get out of the jam in the sixth. "My team always has my back, and today I got a chance to have their back."

Green Valley (16-12) took advantage of three Foothill errors to take a 2-1 lead in the top of the fourth.

But Aricia Dami and Lauren Penksa singled to open the Falcons' half of the fourth. Hannah Stevens and Chelsi Stewart followed with RBI singles to put Foothill ahead, 4-2.

"They never said die," Foothill coach Tom Mayes said. "And they were able to forget the mistakes they made."

Stewart went 3-for-3 with an RBI to lead Foothill, and Penksa went 2-for-3. Petrolia tossed a four-hitter while striking out seven.

Maggie Manwarren had two hits to lead the Gators.

In the opening game, Rhiana Balaun went 2-for-3 with an RBI in the Falcons' 9-0 victory over the Wildcats (21-13).

Foothill scored three runs in the first inning and three more in the third for Petrolia, who combined with Jordyn Derflinger on a six-hitter.

Penksa and Dami each had a two-run double to help Foothill.

Kristina Nelson had two hits to lead Las Vegas (21-13).