As expected, top seeds score easy wins in 4A Zone softball

Scott Gulbransen

Wednesday, May 14, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.

Except for one minor first-round upset, the start of the Southern Nevada Class 4A Zone softball championships at Sunset Park yielded few surprises.

Top seeds Green Valley and Silverado went undefeated Tuesday to set up a showdown between the city's top two teams today at 4 p.m. at Sunset.

Two other games get under way at 2 p.m. today with Cimarron-Memorial facing Eldorado and Bonanza battling Basic. Both are elimination games.

Cheyenne and Chaparral were the only teams eliminated Tuesday. Each lost twice.

A highly emotional Green Valley team beat Cheyenne in the first round, then slipped past a scrappy Basic club. Both were by 6-3 scores.

"Our girls are really fired up for this tournament," Green Valley coach Cindi Davis said. "The key to winning this tournament is pure emotion. Everyone on our squad has that emotion. We are a disciplined team that knows what we need to accomplish in order to win the championship."

The Gators were led by junior pitcher Nicole Truax and outfielder Jen Lee.

Truax won both games for Green Valley, pitching 14 innings. She allowed six runs and struck out 12.

Lee was an offensive juggernaut, finishing 5-for-5 with 7 RBIs, 2 triples and a sacrifice fly in two games.

Silverado, the tournament's other top seed and two-time defending zone champion, breezed through the first day with 16-2 and 7-2 victories over Chaparral and Eldorado, respectively.

The Skyhawks trailed Eldorado 2-0 entering the third inning before second baseman April Arata slapped a two-run single to tie the game. Christi Moores followed with an RBI single that put Silverado ahead for good.

"Our girls played a little nervous at first," Skyhawks' coach Chuck Pope said. "But we came back and regained our composure. We've been lacking that competitive edge with the long layoff (seven days) and it was good to see them find it again."

Senior Meka Anderson won the first game in the circle for the Skyhawks while Tiffany Finateri grabbed the victory against Eldorado.

In the day's lone upset, Basic pounded a flat Cimarron-Memorial 6-0 in the first round.

Basic's Jen Redding allowed just two hits in six innings.

"Jen pitched a heck of a game for us," Basic coach Aly Cerrone said. "The whole team is staying focused and realizes what we need to do the rest of the way."

Roundup

* AROUND THE HORN: Bonanza pitcher Melissa Simerlink had an up-and-down day, splitting two games. She was 2-for-3 with a triple in the second game, a 5-2 victory which eliminated Chaparral. ... With two outs in the bottom of the seventh in a 4-4 tie with Cheyenne, pinch-hitter Bekah Hudak's RBI fielder's choice scored Amber Leavitt giving Cimarron-Memorial a 5-4 win. Valerie Bendele hit a two-run home run for the Lady Spartans. ... Eldorado advanced to today's third round with a 4-3 come-from-behind win over Bonanza. Senior first baseman Jennifer White paced the Sundevils, finishing 2-for-3 with two RBIs. ... Despite being eliminated, Chaparral's Anna Tomiesello had a huge day for the Cowboys. She was 5-for-6 in two games.