Durango softball drops close one to Wooster

Zack Hall

Friday, May 19, 2000 | 10:07 a.m.

Durango softball coach Sandy Morgan says her team has battled all season to earn respect.

Beating Wooster, the northern Nevada champion and favorite to win the 4A State Softball Tournament, would have given the Trailblazers more than that -- it would have put them in the driver's seat on the road to the championship.

Instead, Colts pitcher Chelsea Crosby lined a triple to left in the bottom of the seventh inning Thursday, scoring Caitlin Kintop to give Wooster a 3-2 win at Sunset Park.

"We're proud of ourselves," Morgan said. "No one expected us to do anything in this tournament."

The game's pitchers, Aja Sherman and Crosby, went through the first five innings without allowing a run.

Sara Spenia went 2-for-3 with a run scored for Durango, and Jennipher Bator went 2-of-3 with a triple, an RBI and run scored to lead the Colts.

In the top of the sixth inning the Blazers (27-15) scored two runs on RBIs by Julia Paz and Toni Deltoro. The rally ended when Carolyn Fox drove a ball into center but was thrown out at first by center fielder Cynthia Elkins.

"The key play defensively was the (Elkins) throw from center field," said Wooster coach Dick Allen. "Without that it's 3-0 or 4-0."

Wooster countered with a pair of two-out runs in the bottom of the sixth.

The Trailblazers meet Silverado today at 1 p.m. The winner will advance to the championship game at 3 p.m. against the Colts.