Skyhawks win fourth straight softball title

The Silverado softball team is starting to make winning a habit. And, who could blame them?

The Skyhawks defeated Green Valley 1-0 on Friday to capture their fourth straight Southern Zone softball title at Sunset Park.

With the win, the Skyhawks earned the No. 1 seed for the south in next week's 4A state tournament which will also be held at Sunset Park. The Gators will be the No. 2 seed after falling to the Skyhawks in the championship game, Cimarron-Memorial will be seeded No. 3 and Bonanza will be fourth-seed.

The Skyhawks, who have never won a state title, are ready for the challenge of next weekend. "We have unfinished business from the stand point that we have to play tough teams from the north," Silverado coach Chuck Pope said. For the second time in two days, Silverado managed to beat the Gators 1-0. Playing small ball was the key for Silverado in the title game.

Green Valley pitcher Nicole Truax, who was named Most Valuable Pitcher of the tournament, kept Silverado in check for the first five innings. Truax had a no-hitter going into the fifth as Silverado only managed one base runner in those innings. In the fifth, Silverado finally got a break. A huge break.

Truax retired the first two batters of the inning like clock work before yielding a walk to the Skyhawks' Stormy Hanson. Sara Buntjer was next and she advanced on an error to put runners on first and second. With Dana Williams up for Silverado, the Skyhawks tried a double steal. On the through to third, the Silverado base runner and Green Valley infielder collided and a rare interference was called.

This allowed the winning run to cross the plate. "The way Truax was throwing, she wasn't going to give up any runs," Pope said. "I had to try something because she wasn't going to give in. We used the fake bunt to draw the third baseman in."

Silverado made its lead stand with some solid defense. In the top of the sixth, Truaz led off the inning for Green Valley by advancing on an error. April Eckels pinch ran for Truax and she made it all the way to third on a sacrifice and a groundout.

With Brittany Richards up and Eckels representing the tying run on third, Silverado pitcher Tiffany Finateri unleashed a passed ball. Hanson, the Skyhawks' catcher, quickly recovered the ball and tossed home to Finateri who tagged out Eckels to end the inning.

"We'll take something away from this," Green Valley coach Cindi Davis said. "We dictated the pace of this game for five innings....we have to learn to not get distracted with what they do."

The Gators also missed a golden opportunity in the second inning. GV had runners on the corners with one out, but had a runner caught stealing second and another thrown out on a grounder to right field to end the inning.

Truax threw a one-hitter in the losing effort.

NOTES: Silverado sophomore Kristen Toner was named Most Valuable Player of the tournament. She was joined on the all-tournament team by teammates April Arata, Finateri, Hanson and Keely Commerford. In addition to Traux, Green Valley catcher Kathy Waddilove was honored along with Rachel Mohler....In other action on Friday, Green Valley won the loser's bracket with a 4-0 victory over Cimarron. Richards had a two-run single to highlight the Gators' three-run first. Truax, who gave up only two unearned runs in the tournament, struck out 13.

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