Harris’ clutch hit spurs Shadow Ridge triumph

Jasmine Harris might have the perfect demeanor to be at the plate in a clutch situation.

The Shadow Ridge senior is supremely relaxed and focuses on putting the ball in play.

On Friday, for the second straight night, she drove in a tiebreaking run and lifted her team to victory.

"I don't worry about anything. I just play the game," Harris said. "I just stayed relaxed like I always do."

Harris' bloop single into left field plated Courtney Winnett with the go-ahead run as part of a seven-run sixth inning that gave the Mustangs a 7-2 win over Durango in the Sunset Region softball title game at Stephanie Lynn Craig Park.

Shadow Ridge (24-1), which successfully defended its region title, advances to the state tournament next weekend in Reno.

"The goal always is to win state, and in order to win state, you have to win regionals," Mustangs coach Cynthia Winter said.

Shadow Ridge trailed 2-0 entering the bottom of the sixth.

After consecutive walks and a wild pitch, pinch hitter Mary Jordan's infield hit plated Mandy Harmon to bring the Mustangs within a run.

One out later, Rae-Ann Bohm's double in front of a diving center fielder scored pinch runner Jackie Pugliese to tie the game.

A fielder's-choice grounder by Ashley Eldridge loaded the bases for Harris, whose suicide-squeeze bunt in the eighth inning Thursday plated the only run in a 1-0 win over Clark.

Harris looped a 1-1 pitch in front of Durango's left fielder to score Winnett.

"The more you stress, the more mistakes you make," Harris said. "I just told everybody to go out and play their game, don't worry about pressure."

Rayna Bradshaw's groundout scored Bohm. Ashley Huddleston followed with a two-run double, and Harmon singled in the seventh run.

Durango (24-11), which already had one loss in the double-elimination tournament needed to win to force a second title game against the Mustangs, who were undefeated in the tourney.

It looked as though the Trailblazers might force a second game after Ashley Hall drove in runs with bunts in the fourth and sixth innings.

"I went out and talked to the girls (in the sixth inning) and told them in a worst-case scenario, we'd just have to play another game," Winter said. "They all said 'We're not playing another game.' "

Durango pitcher Nicole Herrera, who threw nearly five innings in relief in the Trailblazers' first game Friday, scattered five hits in the first five innings.

Harmon pitched a three-hitter for the Mustangs.

• Durango 10, Clark 4 -- In the losers bracket final, Durango stormed to an 8-0 lead in the third inning and held off the Chargers (23-11).

Jaexenne Balilea was 3-for-4 with a home run, a double and three runs for Durango. Melissa Bako added two hits and three RBIs for the Trailblazers.