Odd ending benefits Wildcats

Las Vegas High School's softball team put on a demonstration of offensive and defensive skills Wednesday in its second-round game against Green Valley in the Sunrise Region tournament at Stephanie Lynn Craig Park.

In the end, however, the Wildcats also needed a little luck to get the win.

Gators pitcher Alicia Firelein committed an illegal pitch with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning, allowing Chelsea Lewis to score from third and giving Las Vegas a 4-3 victory.

"You hate to win it that way," said Wildcats coach Tresa Schilder, whose team will face Foothill at 7 p.m. today. "The game could have gone either way. It's definitely the weirdest ending we've ever had, but we'll take it."

The mistake ended an intense pitchers' duel that featured Firelein holding her ground into extra innings against Wildcats counterpart Jennifer Gliddon.

After Las Vegas (19-6) scored a run in the second inning, the Gators (21-9) drew even with a run in the third, then went ahead 3-1 after Annamarie Smith ignited a two-run inning with a towering double to center field.

Las Vegas tied the score at 3 on an RBI triple by MaKrizzel Galavez and a scoring single by Tiffini Lucero.

• Foothill 15, Silverado 2 -- Amber Stater went 4-for-5 with a home run, a double and five RBIs to lead the Falcons (20-21) to a six-inning win.

Lacey Daly and Amy Austin each added two hits and three RBIs for Foothill, which finished with 18 hits.

• Rancho 4, Eldorado 2 -- The Rams (17-17) jumped to a 4-0 first-inning lead and held on to eliminate the Sundevils (8-10).

Rancho's Katelyn Bley went 2-for-3 with a two-run single.

• Liberty 5, Valley 3 -- The Patriots (23-13) scored four unearned runs in the top of the seventh inning to rally past the Vikings (17-16).

Liberty scored on three hit batters and an error before Breanna English's two-run single gave it a 4-3 lead. Kristina Foti drove in the final run with a double to left field.

SUNSET REGION

• Shadow Ridge 2, Cimarron-Memorial 1 -- Jackie Pugliese scored the winning run on a dropped line drive with one out in the bottom of the 10th inning as the Mustangs (22-1) outlasted the Spartans (20-15) and moved into the winners' bracket final.

Pugliese led off by drawing an eight-pitch walk, moved to second on a wild pitch and went to third on Courtney Winnett's grounder to the right side.

Rae-Ann Bohm then laced a line drive at the Spartans' right fielder, who charged the ball but dropped it as she lined up to throw home.

Mandy Harmon tossed a seven-hitter for Shadow Ridge, which will play Clark (23-9) in the winners' bracket final tonight at 7.

Cimarron freshman Carrie Sheehan allowed two unearned runs on nine hits and a walk. She struck out five.

Bohm was 3-for-5 with a triple and a double. Harmon was 3-for-4 with a triple and an RBI.

• Clark 2, Durango 1 -- Jordyn McDonald spun a two-hitter and struck out 11 as the Chargers edged the Trailblazers (21-10).

Clark's Autumn Gatesman and Sydney Staresinich each had a two-out RBI single in the fourth inning.

• Centennial 6, Palo Verde 3 -- Lauren Lynds tossed five innings of hitless relief as the Bulldogs (28-8) eliminated the Panthers (16-13).

Johnna Brown's two-run homer in the third inning gave the Bulldogs the lead for good.

• Spring Valley 12, Sierra Vista 2 -- Jasmine Wilson went 4-for-5 to lead a 13-hit attack as the Grizzlies (11-10) eliminated the Lions (18-15).