Dipuccio paces Palo Verde

Spencer Patterson

Wednesday, May 8, 2002 | 8:23 a.m.

At first glance, it might seem safe to assume that Centennial, Durango and Bonanza -- three teams that combined for a 78-13 regular season record -- will claim the Sunset Region's three berths to next week's 4A State Tournament.

But in round one of the Sunset tournament Tuesday, Palo Verde proved that as long as Renee Dipuccio is pitching, anything is possible.

The Panthers managed just one hit, but still overcame Clark 4-2 behind another sparkling performance from their junior ace at Henderson's Stephanie Lynn Craig Complex.

Dipuccio retired the first 19 batters she faced and struck out 10, ultimately settling for a two-hitter to keep her squad in the winner's bracket of the four-day, double-elimination event.

"Renee did a phenomenal job," Palo Verde coach Jamie Ditto said. "She just quietly goes about doing her job. She's not one of the bigger names on our side, but she doesn't give up a lot of hits or a lot of runs."

The Panthers (15-14) scored one run in the first and another in the sixth without benefit of a hit, taking advantage of Charger errors in both innings.

The victors' only hit came in the fourth, when Tasia Bartu singled through the infield with the bases loaded. Savannah Miele scored on the play, and Dipuccio came around moments later when Clark pitcher Lydia Pierce hit Marissa Lucero with a pitch.

With her no-hitter still intact, Dipuccio ran into trouble with one out in the seventh. Jodee Italiano doubled to right and Dipuccio hit Valerie Jimenez, putting runners at the corners.

After Dipuccio recorded her 10th strikeout for the second out, Tish Bedaw doubled to deep left, plating two runs to get her team on the board. Dipuccio hit the next batter, Brittany Fowler, to put the tying run on base, but Christi Longchamps charged in from center field to catch Jessica Mysz's fly ball to end the contest.

"It's kind of an inevitability with Clark," Ditto said. "They're a good hitting team, and we knew it was just a matter of when they were going to hit, not if it was going to happen."

Pierce actually outdid Dipuccio in the strikeout department, fanning 12 batters, but walked four and hit one. Her team also committed three errors behind her.

The Panthers move on to play Durango (27-7) today at 5 p.m. The Trailblazers opened with a 13-1 win over Cimarron-Memorial on Tuesday.

"We've got to bring the bat tomorrow to play Durango," said Ditto, whose club lost to the Blazers 6-4 in eight innings earlier this season. "To be successful we have to be able to hit with them."

The Chargers (15-15) drop into the loser's bracket, where they will play Cimarron today at 3 p.m.

In other Sunset action Tuesday, Centennial shut out first-year Sierra Vista 10-0 and Bonanza rolled past Mojave 10-0.

On the Sunrise side, Eldorado defeated first-year Coronado 3-0 behind a Brently Bridgeforth no-hitter, Silverado downed Rancho 10-0, Las Vegas topped Green Valley 3-0 and Basic held off Valley 2-1.