DIVISION I SOFTBALL: Panthers rebound in win over Skyhawks, move into state tournament

Palo Verde didn’t need much time to wake up from its nightmare.

One day after a 13-3 loss to arch-rival Centennial in the championship game of the Sunset Region softball tournament, the Panthers pounced for four second-inning runs and downed Silverado, 6-2 in the state play-in game at Bishop Gorman.

Palo Verde (27-7) will face Sunrise champion Green Valley (23-9) in the first round of the Division I state tournament at 3:45 p.m. Thursday at UNLV. The Panthers won the Class 4A state title at UNLV two years ago.

“It was really important to come back quick from the game yesterday,” said Palo Verde junior catcher Brooke Stover. “We needed to show that we were out here to win and to go to state.”

After a scoreless first inning, the Panthers cashed in on two Silverado errors to score four unearned runs in the second.

Breanna Beatty led off the inning with a single, and consecutive errors allowed her to score. Melissa Lacro scooted home on a wild pitch, and Rachel Williams’ two-out single up the middle drove in two more.

Palo Verde bunted three times in the inning and was aggressive on the bases.

“I told them that their team goal was to put pressure on the defense every single at bat, and to capitalize on any mistake,” Palo Verde coach Kelly Glass said.

Stover added her second home run in as many days in the third to give the Panthers a 5-0 lead.

Kelsea Sweeney took care of the rest, allowing just five hits and striking out three. Silverado didn’t score until consecutive RBI doubles by Ashlee Phillips and Madison Sisco with two outs in the seventh.

“Her up and down pitches were working really well,” Stover said. “Her dropball and riseball are just unstoppable right now. Mixing the changeup in threw off their batters.”

Sweeney needed only 78 pitches in the game and had faced the minimum number of hitters through four innings.

“We just need to come out and be fearless every game,” Stover said. “Everything is the same no matter who you play.”