Durango excited about playing for 4A crown

Victoria Sun

Friday, May 18, 2001 | 9:53 a.m.

Durango High was a little bit weary of Wooster pitcher Jenne Bator entering the game against the defending champions in the 4A State Softball Tournament Thursday afternoon at West Flamingo Park.

As it turned out, it was Trailblazer senior Tisha Salamino, not Bator, the Sun's 2000 State Player of the Year, who turned in the game-winning performance.

Salamino allowed only three hits and struck out four to help the Trailblazers to a 6-2 victory, leaving them the only undefeated team in the double-elimination tournament.

"It's unreal," Durango coach Sandy Morgan said. "It's very satisfying, you bet.

"Last year, we weren't the same team we were this year. We're better and more experienced."

The 35-2 Trailblazers will play the winner of the Reed-Wooster game today at 3 p.m. for the state championship. If necessary, a second game will be played at 5.

Salamino relied on her experience and teammates to get through her second game of the day and third in two days.

Durango's other pitcher, Aja Sherman, was suspended last week for violating team rules, leaving Salamino the team's lone pitcher for the state tournament.

"Without Tisha, we wouldn't be here," catcher Amy Gleicher, who was 1-for-4 with a run scored, said. "I can't say enough about her; she's great.

"After we lost Aja, Tisha stepped in and took responsibility for the whole team."

The Trailblazers pounded Bator for six hits in the first inning to take a 5-0 lead.

Sara Spenia scored the first run on Nikki Ortiz's sacrifice fly to right field. Toni Del Toro doubled in the next two runs and Karli O'Toole and Courtney Dilts each had RBI singles.

"We got up to the plate and saw that she wasn't as tough as we thought she would be," Morgan said. "I think once the girls realized that, they relaxed.

"They were looking for good pitches to hit. Our bats were on fire the first inning."

Salamino gave up one hit the first three innings before getting into trouble in the fourth.

With two outs she walked consecutive batters, then surrendered a double to designated hitter Jacklyn DiCollo scoring both runners. Salamino got the final out when Katie Stevens popped up and Gleicher made a spectacular catch.

"I got tired, but I got a second wind," Salamino said. "I just needed to hit my spots, throw good and not give in.

"This was a pretty big win because I know if we didn't, I would have had to pitch a lot more."

After the fourth, Salamino retired nine of the last 11 batters.

Durango scored its final run in the fourth when Ortiz singled in Spenia.

Southern Nevada's other two remaining teams, Eldorado and Centennial, were eliminated Thursday.

After posting a 7-0 win over Reno earlier in the day, the Sundevils lost to Reed 1-0. The Bulldogs fell to Reed 5-0.

Victoria Sun

is a Las Vegas Sun sportswriter. Reach her at 259-4078 or by e-mail at victoria@lasvegassun.com. STATE SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT