SPRING JAMBOREE: Palo Verde runs into Edison ace, falls in semifinal

Palo Verde’s offensive explosion didn’t last long enough Saturday.

The Panthers, who scored 57 runs in their previous four games in the Spring Jamboree at Majestic Park, finally ran into a pitcher who didn’t merely contain them. She dominated.

Edison (Calif.) hurler Ally Hecht ended the Panthers’ tournament run, pitching a no-hitter and collecting a 6-0 win.

Hecht, who used an array of off-speed pitches and a wonderful rising fastball to keep Palo Verde off balance, struck out nine and allowed two base runners — one on a dropped pop-up and the other on a walk.

“We were looking at good pitches and swinging at balls,” Palo Verde coach Kelly Glass said. “(Hecht) has very, very good movement ... the best pitcher we’ve seen all week.”

The Chargers didn’t need much offense to back Hecht, but got home runs from Karley Wester, who was 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs, and Jessica Plaza.

Palo Verde finished 5-2 in the tournament, playing six games against out-of-state teams. After splitting two games Thursday, the Panthers scored 45 runs in three wins Friday, then routed Northwest League rival Centennial 12-1 on Saturday morning to reach the semifinals.

“There’s not one person who didn’t hit the ball for us,” Glass said. “They all hit the ball very well. Hitting is contagious. Once one person does it, everybody will jump on.”

The Panthers, riddled with injuries all season, called up a junior varsity player and inserted senior Danielle Hearn into the lineup for the tournament just to have enough healthy and eligible players.

Hearn had been out with a leg injury since the first weekend of the season.

“I have a lot of girls out of position right now due to injuries and situations,” Glass said. “But everything that has been thrown at them this year, they’re taking it in stride and just rising above it. These kids won’t quit.

“I’m not scared to have people out of position, because I know they’ll get the job done.”

Palo Verde 12, Centennial 1 — Melissa McCormick starred in the circle and at the plate as the Panthers roughed up the Bulldogs in a five-inning championship bracket quarterfinal.

McCormick went 4-for-4 with a home run, three doubles, three runs and three RBIs. She also pitched a three-hitter with four strikeouts.

Breanna Beatty was 2-for-4 with a home run, three runs and two RBIs, and Angel Council was 2-for-3 with two runs and an RBI for Palo Verde, which took control with a four-run first inning.

Melissa Lacro had a two-run single in the first, and Rachel Williams finished 2-for-3 with an RBI.
Heather Bowen’s first-inning home run accounted for Centennial’s offense.

Bell (Calif.) 7, Pahrump Valley 1 — The Eagles made the most of four hits, taking advantage of eight Trojans errors to eliminate Pahrump from the consolation bracket.

Miranda Monje was 2-for-4 with a double, and Mallory Cole went 2-for-3 for the Trojans.

Pahrump Valley 13, Cheyenne 9 — The Trojans twice held 10-run leads and held on as the Desert Shields brought the potential tying run to the plate in the bottom of the seventh in a consolation bracket game.

Sara Williams was 2-for-4 with a home run, three runs and three RBIs for Pahrump, which led 13-3 going into the bottom of the sixth.

Cheyenne scored one in the sixth and pulled to within 13-9 in the seventh, thanks to Melanie Manley’s grand slam.

The Desert Shields cashed in on walks and a hit batsman to load the bases before Cole got the final out on a fly to right.

Vanessa Sanders went 3-for-4 with three runs, and Rachel Holly was 2-for-3 with an RBI for Cheyenne.

Winslow (Ariz.) 4, Rancho 2 — Winslow center fielder Mireya Ulibarri leaped to snag Amber Marlett’s line drive to end the game, stranding the potential tying runs on base as the Bulldogs advanced in the consolation bracket.

Rancho trailed 4-0 entering the bottom of the sixth inning, and cut the deficit to 4-1 on Brandy Marlett’s RBI double.

With two outs in the seventh, Tiffany Smith singled to put runners at first and second, and Aly Lamboo followed with an RBI double to put two runners in scoring position, but Ulibarri robbed Amber Marlett of the potential tying hit.

Lamboo and Brandy Marlett each went 2-for-3 for Rancho, which had three runners thrown out at the plate by Winslow outfielders.