Centennial’s Huntly gets shutout over Palo Verde

When Centennial's Taylor Huntly pitches well, her defense has to be prepared to make plenty of plays.

On Wednesday, the Bulldogs were more than ready.

Backed by a sparkling defense, Huntly tossed a five-hit shutout on just 76 pitches, leading the Bulldogs to the winners' bracket final of the Sunset Region tournament with a 2-0 victory over Palo Verde at Bishop Gorman.

"I knew my defense had my back, and they knew I had theirs," Huntly said. "Knowing that I had them behind me was important. As much as I'd like to be, I'm not a strikeout pitcher."

Centennial (28-7) will face Shadow Ridge (17-9) at 3 p.m. today at Gorman. The winner moves into the region final.

"She was super-efficient, and her confidence just built throughout the game," Centennial coach Mike Livreri said.

Huntly got 14 of the 21 outs on ground balls, none as spectacular as second baseman Bailie Nelson's effort in the fifth inning. Kelsea Sweeney hit a ground ball targeted for center field. Nelson took three steps to her right, dived head first to spear the ball and got just enough on the throw to nip Sweeney at first.

Shortstop Heather Bowen ranged into short left-center to take a potential two-run single away from Palo Verde's Rachael Turner in the first, and turned a double play on a line drive in the sixth.

Huntly struck out only one batter, but the Bulldogs were errorless behind her.

Centennial got a run on Savannah Horvath's two-out single in the first. Bowen added a two-out RBI double in the third as Centennial managed only five hits, two of them doubles by Bowen.

Rachel Williams was 2-for-3 for Palo Verde (24-10), which will face Gorman (24-5-1) in an elimination game at 3 p.m. today at Legacy.

■ Shadow Ridge 8, Arbor View 2 - At Gorman, Tana Feiner tossed a six-hitter, and for the second straight game the Mustangs grabbed a big lead in the top of the first inning on the way to their third win of the year over the Aggies (22-5).

Shadow Ridge scored four runs in the first inning when Taylor Velarde hit a two-out bases-loaded triple and later scored on an illegal pitch.

Karli Lehr was 2-for-4 for Arbor View, which meets Desert Oasis (16-16) in an elimination game at 5 p.m. today at Legacy.

■ Desert Oasis 13, Spring Valley 2 - At Legacy, Taylor Beacham went 3-for-4 with a double, six RBIs and a run as the Diamondbacks scored 10 runs in the fifth inning to slug their way past the Grizzlies (16-12) in five innings.

Mallory Hall supplied two hits and an RBI for Desert Oasis.

■ Bishop Gorman 3, Durango 1 - At Legacy, Dayton Yingling spun a five-hitter, fanning five with three walks as the Gaels ousted the Trailblazers (14-18).

The Gaels scored all three of their runs in the bottom of the fourth inning.

SUNRISE REGION

Coronado coach Missy Krueger figured her team was too good to lose to the same team three times in one season.

That confidence was justified almost immediately, as the Cougars scored seven runs in the first two innings of a surprisingly easy 10-2 victory over Basic in the second round of the Sunrise Region softball tournament at Foothill.

Coronado (21-11) advanced to the winners' bracket final and will face Green Valley in a 3 p.m. game today at Foothill.

"It's hard to beat a team three times," said Krueger, whose squad lost both regular-season Southeast League games to the Wolves. "And this was the game that counted."

Coronado cashed in on three walks in the first inning with a two-run single by Kiley Harrison and an RBI double by Katie Dawson to take a 4-0 lead. The Cougars added three more in the second on a two-run double by Katie Cochran and an RBI single by Lee Harrison.

Danielle Amato, who tossed three no-hit innings to open the game for Coronado, was relieved by Lee Harrison in the fourth. Harrison, returning from an injury, struggled but kept her team in control by recording timely outs.

The Wolves (15-10) finally got on the board in the fourth inning on a scoring fly by Teuila Sheehan, and added a run in the fifth on an RBI single by Leah Causey to cut the deficit to 8-2. But Amato returned to the circle to log the last four outs for the Cougars, who padded their lead with two more runs in the sixth.

Kiley Harrison went 2-for-4 with a double and four RBIs to lead the Coronado offense, and Cochran went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs.

Basic meets Las Vegas (20-12) in an elimination game at 3 p.m. today at Coronado.

■ Green Valley 1, Foothill 0 - Fenixx Henderson tossed a three-hitter to lead the Gators, who beat the Falcons with an unearned run in the sixth inning.

Green Valley's Lindsay Seberry led off the sixth with a bunt single and moved to second on Cori Sutton's sacrifice. Henderson lined a one-hopper to Falcons second baseman Chelsi Stewart.

Stewart elected to go after the lead runner at third with the throw, which got away from Foothill third baseman Gabby Canibeyaz. Seberry scored on the play, and Henderson advanced to second.

Marissa Iwanylo went 2-for-3 to lead the Gators. Lauren Penksa went 2-for-3 for Foothill (23-8), which will meet Rancho (11-14-1) at 5 p.m. today at Foothill.

■ Las Vegas 11, Chaparral 5 - At Coronado, Cierra Turner tripled and drove in three runs, helping the Wildcats eliminate the Cowboys (7-12).

■ Rancho 3, Eldorado 1 - At Coronado, Brandy Marlett tossed a two-hitter and struck out 11 as the Rams knocked out the Northeast League champion Sundevils (23-6).

Marlett also supplied two of the Rams' five hits, as Rancho scored three runs in the second and rode Marlett's arm to the win.