Early hiccup can’t slow Cimarron softball
Cimarron-Memorial's softball team has resembled a giant jigsaw puzzle this season.
One the Spartans have tried to put together without being able to see a picture.
That might have changed Wednesday at West Flamingo Park when the Spartans overcame a shaky inning of defense -- a recurring problem this season -- to defeat Monte Vista (Calif.) 12-2 in four innings and capture the Copper Bracket title in the Charger Invitational.
"We can see where we're coming together now," said Spartans coach Steve Gorden, whose team won its final three games of the tournament each by 10 or more runs. "We can see a turning point now.
"We've been trying to figure out what pieces to put in what places and moving people around, but this is a positive to build on."
Expected to contend for the Northwest League title, Cimarron (7-9) lost its first three league games and was 4-9 overall after losing all three of its pool games in the tournament.
The Spartans' pitching has been good for much of the season, but the team's defense had all sorts of trouble jelling, and the offense was inconsistent.
In the championship game, Cimarron's defense again nearly collapsed.
The Spartans made three second-inning errors to allow Monte Vista to pull within 2-1, but Cimarron got out of further trouble and responded with four runs in the top of the third and seven in the fourth.
Eight players scored at least one run for Cimarron.
"We were just looking for some positive to build on," said Gorden, whose team advanced to the Copper title game by whipping Lincoln (Calif.) 10-0 in four innings Wednesday morning. "We're hitting the ball now. We're going to be right in the hunt.
"This is more of what we expected."
Madison Newhard went 2-for-2 with four RBIs and two runs for Cimarron.
Hannah Williams was 2-for-2 and scored three runs, and Sarina Cresswell and Carrie Sheehan each went 2-for-3.
Sheehan allowed four hits and struck out nine. Both Monte Vista runs were unearned.
"Wins make everything better," Gorden said.
Contact reporter Bartt Davis at bdavis@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5230.
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WEDNESDAY'S HIGHLIGHTS
BASEBALL
Palo Verde's Dan Jaffe was 3-for-5 with two home runs, a double, five RBIs and four runs in the Panthers' 25-4 win over Foothill in the Purple Division 3 title game of the Blazer Sportco Spring Bash.
Green Valley's Tariq Staton was 2-for-2 with a home run and three RBIs in a 10-2 win over El Camino Real (Calif.) in the Mike Morrow Lions Invitational in San Diego.
SOFTBALL
Desert Oasis' Lenzi Cram tossed a four-inning four-hitter and went 2-for-3 with a home run and four RBIs in a 10-0 win over Ursuline (Calif.) in the Charger Invitational at West Flamingo Park.
Green Valley's Desiree Laswell struck out 10 and was 2-for-2 with a homer and three RBIs as the Gators whipped Mater Dei (Calif.) 13-0 in the Charger Invitational.
