Shadow Ridge’s Alyssa Stanley (22) runs home to a celebrations after hitting a two run homer against Centennial during the seventh inning of a softball game at Centennial High School in Las Vegas, Wednesday, April 25, 2018. Erik Verduzco Las Vegas Review-Journal @Erik_Verduzco
Shadow Ridge’s Alyssa Stanley (22) runs the bases after hitting a two run homer against Centennial during the seventh inning of a softball game at Centennial High School in Las Vegas, Wednesday, April 25, 2018. Erik Verduzco Las Vegas Review-Journal @Erik_Verduzco
Centennial’s Abby Hanley (12) and Maddie Kallfelz (14) reacts after scoring runs during the fourth inning of a softball game at Centennial High School in Las Vegas, Wednesday, April 25, 2018. Erik Verduzco Las Vegas Review-Journal @Erik_Verduzco
Centennial’s Natasha Lawrence (3) sprints for a two run triple against Shadow Ridge during the fourth inning of a softball game at Centennial High School in Las Vegas, Wednesday, April 25, 2018. Erik Verduzco Las Vegas Review-Journal @Erik_Verduzco
Centennial’s Kiana Tate (4) grabs a ground ball before throwing it to first base for an out against Shadow Ridge during the fourth inning of a softball game at Centennial High School in Las Vegas, Wednesday, April 25, 2018. Erik Verduzco Las Vegas Review-Journal @Erik_Verduzco
Shadow Ridge’s catcher Merisa Osborn (11) goes for the ball in the outfield against Centennial during the third inning of a softball game at Centennial High School in Las Vegas, Wednesday, April 25, 2018. Erik Verduzco Las Vegas Review-Journal @Erik_Verduzco
Shadow Ridge’s catcher Caitlyn Covington (3) tags Centennial’s Seanna Simpson (5) during the third inning of a softball game at Centennial High School in Las Vegas, Wednesday, April 25, 2018. Erik Verduzco Las Vegas Review-Journal @Erik_Verduzco
Shadow Ridge’s Shelbi Denman (14) pitches against Centennial during the second inning of a softball game at Centennial High School in Las Vegas, Wednesday, April 25, 2018. Erik Verduzco Las Vegas Review-Journal @Erik_Verduzco
Centennial’s Deanna Barrera (6) bunts the ball for a single against Shadow Ridge during the first inning of a softball game at Centennial High School in Las Vegas, Wednesday, April 25, 2018. Erik Verduzco Las Vegas Review-Journal @Erik_Verduzco
Shadow Ridge’s Alisha Schultz (17) makes a catch for an out against Centennial during the first inning of a softball game at Centennial High School in Las Vegas, Wednesday, April 25, 2018. Erik Verduzco Las Vegas Review-Journal @Erik_Verduzco
Centennial’s Samantha Lawrence (10) throws the ball to Kiana Tate (4) for an out against Shadow Ridge’s Alisha Schultz (17) during the first inning of a softball game at Centennial High School in Las Vegas, Wednesday, April 25, 2018. Erik Verduzco Las Vegas Review-Journal @Erik_Verduzco
It’s what kids dream about in their backyard. Last inning, two outs, down by a run, coming to the plate as the go-ahead run.
Alyssa Stanley fulfilled the backyard fantasy.
Shadow Ridge’s junior first baseman blasted the 1-and-1 offering over the right-field fence to give the Mustangs’ softball team the lead. Then in the bottom of the seventh, Mia Voges finished it off with a swinging strikeout to strand the tying run at second and give Shadow Ridge a 5-4 win over host Centennial on Wednesday.
“As sucky as it is to do it in the very last inning, it’s just a great feeling that we believe in ourselves enough to get those last two runs to be able to win the game,” Voges said. “It was awesome.”
Stanley was one of three Mustangs (19-8, 11-3 Northwest League) who got a hit, and she had two of them, also doubling home two runs in the fifth for a four-RBI day. Alisha Schultz had two hits, including a double, and Caitlyn Covington was 3-for-4 with a double and two runs. The rest of Shadow Ridge’s lineup went 0-for-18 with a walk.
Centennial (20-13, 11-6) led 4-1 after the fourth, but Schultz and Covington reached, and Stanley drove them in to trim the lead to 4-3. In the seventh, Centennial starter Deanna Barrera retired the first two batters. Schultz singled, and Stanley did the rest.
“It was special because we didn’t hit well as a team,” Stanley said. “We finally strung our bats together and did what we needed to do.”
Voges entered in the fourth and pitched four strong innings to pick up the win. She allowed a one-out single in the seventh, and after a stolen base moved the tying run into scoring position, she got her fifth strikeout.
“It wasn’t just one person, it was all of us together,” Voges said. “We all kept each other up until the final pitch.”
