O’Hearn’s walk-off double boosts young Durango softball team

Durango softball coach Toni Del Toro hoped to get her young team some valuable game experience in this weekend’s Spring Jamboree tournament.

The Trailblazers and their coach got a couple of nice bonuses Friday: confidence and a win over a quality team.

Durango rallied from a 4-2 sixth-inning deficit to defeat Brawley (Calif.) 5-4 on Kaitlyn O’Hearn’s walk-off double in the bottom of the seventh inning of a Silver Bracket consolation game at Majestic Park.

“We’re such a young team,” said Del Toro, who has only three seniors but five freshmen on her roster. “I just want to get more players some time and get more experience in game situations so they can start to learn and develop. This is a great opportunity for us to see what comes out of this.

“The more that we do and learn and put ourselves in situations like this, the more confidence we get.”

O’Hearn’s double came after Durango put the No. 8 and 9 hitters on to start the bottom of the seventh.

Freshman Alexis Geraldo led off the inning with a sharp single to center, and classmate Keely Thompson beat out a bunt for a single.

O’Hearn then smacked the next pitch into the gap in left-center. Geraldo hesitated, thinking the ball might be caught, but raced around third and easily beat the relay throw to the plate.

“A lot of our newer players are at the bottom of our lineup, and it’s good to see them produce,” Del Toro said. “It takes the pressure off some of our top of the lineup people.”

Geraldo’s two-run homer in the second inning gave the Trailblazers an early lead, but Brawley (9-7) battled back with a run in the fourth inning and three in the sixth to take the lead. The Wildcats stranded a runner at third each time.

Durango (9-8) struck back in the bottom of the sixth.

Stephanie Huff’s one-out single put runners at first and second for Brooke Behnen, who singled solidly to center. Mallory Lawson scored, and both runners took an extra base when the throw home sailed to the backstop.

Mykayla Cutone’s grounder to the right side scored Huff to tie the game.

“They really feed off each other,” Del Toro said. “They work hard, and they really put their hearts into it.”

Trinity Valentine, also a freshman, tossed a seven-hitter and struck out three for Durango, which rebounded from an 11-3 loss to Southwest (Calif.) in the Silver quarterfinals.

Contact reporter Bartt Davis at bdavis@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5230.