Mustangs strike early, roll

Shadow Ridge's softball team already had played three must-win games to end the regular season.

So when the postseason started Tuesday, the Mustangs were well prepared for playoff pressure.

It certainly showed.

The Mustangs hit for the cycle as a team in the game's first six batters and scored five runs in the first inning on their way to a 16-5, five-inning rout of host and Southwest League champion Bishop Gorman in the opening round of the Sunset Region tournament.

"You can't duplicate game intensity in practice," Shadow Ridge coach Art Cassman said. "So when you know you have to play at your best, you come to play at your best. It's that simple. These girls rise to the occasion."

Shadow Ridge (16-9) will face Arbor View (22-4) at 3 p.m. today at Gorman in a winners' bracket semifinal. Gorman (23-5-1) meets Durango (14-17) at Legacy at 3 p.m. today in an elimination game.

Danielle Buecker hit the first pitch of Tuesday's game into center field for a single, and it touched off an eruption.

One out later, Krislyn Campos tripled. Tana Feiner followed with a homer to center, and, after Justin Garganese reached on an error, Taylor Velarde doubled in a run. Kellie Gaura's infield hit made it 5-0.

Gorman, which went undefeated in Southwest play, never recovered.

The Gaels got a leadoff home run from Shelby Estocado in the first but didn't get another hit until the fourth inning. By then, Shadow Ridge led 15-1.

Feiner finished 3-for-4 with a homer, a triple, three runs and two RBIs. Danette Daguiar was 2-for-3 with two runs and an RBI, and Gaura was 2-for-4 with an RBI.

Estocado was 2-for-3 with a homer, a double, two runs and an RBI.

■ Arbor View 6, Durango 4 - At Arbor View, Kristina Billante went 3-for-3 with two triples and two RBIs for the Aggies.

Karli Lehr went 3-for-4 with an RBI for Arbor View, which rallied from a 4-1 deficit with four runs in the fifth inning.

Katie Moore was 2-for-4 with two doubles for the Trailblazers.

■ Centennial 9, Desert Oasis 0 - At Centennial, Kate Rauskin allowed only a one-out infield single in the fifth and struck out 10 to lead the Bulldogs (27-7).

Madison Henzlik went 3-for-4 for Centennial. Alyssa Finger was 2-for-4 with two doubles, and Lacie Chakos went 2-for-3 with a triple and two RBIs for the Bulldogs, who will meet Palo Verde (24-9) at 5 p.m. today at Gorman.

Desert Oasis (15-16) will face Spring Valley (16-11) in an elimination game at Legacy at 5 p.m. today.

■ Palo Verde 14, Spring Valley 2 - At Spring Valley, Melissa Lacro was 2-for-3 with a triple and three RBIs, and Brooke Stover went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs as the Panthers dominated.

Breanna Beatty was 3-for-4 with a double, two runs and an RBI for Palo Verde.

Georgi DeLio went 3-for-3 with a triple for the Grizzlies.

SUNRISE REGION

In its season opener, Green Valley's softball team made a costly throwing error that led to a 2-0 loss at Las Vegas. On Tuesday, the Gators got a little revenge.

Kristina Nelson's throwing error led to both Gators runs in the seventh inning as Green Valley opened Sunrise Region tournament play with a 2-1 victory over the host Wildcats.

"Wow, talk about deja vu," Green Valley coach Lauren Taylor said. "The first time we threw the ball away, and that was the difference."

Nelson retired the first 17 Green Valley batters, 13 by strikeout, before allowing a two-out single to No. 9 hitter Chelsea Perez in the sixth inning.

Green Valley (15-10) finally struck in the seventh. With one out, Cori Sutton walked. Fenixx Henderson followed with a bunt back to Nelson. The pitcher threw wildly to second, and the ball rolled to the outfield fence. A return throw to the infield got away, allowing Sutton and Henderson to score.

Las Vegas (19-12) got on the board on Nelson's RBI single in the third off Henderson, who allowed seven hits.

"Fenixx kept us in the game," said Taylor, whose team will face Foothill (23-7) in a winners' bracket semifinal at 3 p.m. today at Foothill.

Las Vegas will meet Chaparral (7-11) in an elimination game at 3 p.m. today at Coronado.

■ Foothill 9, Chaparral 2 - At Foothill, Palmer Bosanko went 2-for-3 as the Falcons topped the Cowboys.

Lauren Lesniak was 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI for Chaparral.

■ Coronado 4, Rancho 3 - At Coronado, winning pitcher Danielle Amato singled home Haley Harrison with the winning run as the Cougars (20-11) scored four runs in the seventh to come back from a 3-0 deficit and down the Rams (10-14-1).

Alyssa Ayers stroked a two-run double to get Coronado on the board, and Harrison followed with her second hit of the day, a game-tying single.

Coronado will meet Basic (15-9) in a winners' bracket semifinal at 5 p.m. today at Foothill.

Ashton Orlan had a triple and Brandy Marlett a double for Rancho, which will meet Eldorado (23-5) in an elimination game at 5 p.m. today at Coronado.

■ Basic 10, Eldorado 4 - At Eldorado, winning pitcher Tiana Tapuala had three hits, including a two-run homer, and drove in four runs as the Wolves surprised the Northeast League champions.

Marissa Ross added three hits, including two doubles, and an RBI, and Leah Causey doubled twice for Basic, which scored all 10 of its runs with two outs.

Cheyanne Schindler and Keelyn Pacheco each had three hits for Eldorado.