Gators overcome errors, rally past league foe Silverado

Green Valley softball coach Lauren Taylor has grown tired of watching her team build big leads, then allowing the opposition to make games close.

On Monday, the Gators tried a different approach.

It wasn’t any less aggravating, but it ended with a similar result.

Green Valley committed five errors in the first four innings, then rallied to beat visiting Silverado 6-5 in a showdown for first place in the Northeast League.

“I don’t know what their deal was,” Taylor said. “We went through our routine like normal. Everything was the same, and then I don’t know. I’ll take the win, though.”

The Gators (16-7, 6-1 Northeast), who watched a 9-1 fourth-inning lead nearly slip away in a 10-8 win over Silverado on April 4, strung together five straight two-out hits in the bottom of the fourth Monday to trim a 5-1 deficit to 5-4.

They scored twice more with two outs in the sixth after a key Skyhawks error.

Megan Barrera led off the sixth with a pop-up to the right of the pitcher’s circle. Three Silverado (6-6, 4-3) players converged on the ball, which hit the edge of second baseman Ari Monturio’s glove and fell.

“We run everything out, because you never know,” Taylor said. “That routine ground ball, that routine pop fly could be your big break of the inning. You have to take advantage of everything.”

Two outs later, Maggie Manwarren singled, and Barrera then scored on a wild pitch. After an infield hit by Chelsea Perez, senior catcher Cori Sutton laced a single through the middle to score Manwarren with the go-ahead run.

“Thank heavens,” Taylor said. “She popped up twice, and I just thought she had to bring it. She was just waiting for that time.”

Fenixx Henderson took care of the rest, working around a leadoff bunt single to retire the Skyhawks in the seventh. Henderson allowed only one earned run on seven hits and struck out seven. Six Gators committed errors.

Every Green Valley starter had at least one hit, including Manwarren, who was 2-for-4. Silverado’s Hanna McCall was 3-for-4.

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