Horizon comes from 8 back to nip CDO at Desert Mtn. Tourney

March 21, 2012 by Les Willsey, AZPreps365


It's not easy sometimes to bounce back from a walk-off loss the very next day. Especially when halfway through that next outing your team trails by eight runs.

Horizon produced that type of resiliency Wednesday afternoon, capping it with a three-run rally in the bottom of the seventh that beat Canyon del Oro, 11-10, on the second day of play at the 15th annual Desert Mountain Wolves Softball Invitational at Horizon Park.

"We had a tough loss to Basha (Tuesday)," Horizon coach Brian Casey said. "The girls were intent on putting the ball in play today. We had 10 strikeouts in the Basha game. Cut down on those today. When you put the ball in play, good things will happen."

Horizon (11-4), which banged out 15 hits, came to the plate in the bottom of the seventh down 10-8. CDO starter Alexis Alfonso, who struggled through a long sixth inning but gave up only one run on three hits and a walk that frame, stayed in the game. Alfonso retired pinch hitter Haley Boyce for the first out.

That's when the inning and game unraveled courtesy of Horizon's bats. Tamara Statman, who homered in the fifth inning to touch off a five-run uprising, doubled. Megan Howard (thre hits and four runs scored) followed with a walk and Nicole Newbury (four hits and three runs scored) singled to load the bases.

Catcher Margaret Stahm looped a single to left to scoring two to tie the game. Katie Gore, who earlier hit a two-run double, lifted a fly ball deep enough to left to bring home the game winner.

Not lost in the seventh-inning hitting heroics, was the relief performance from Taylor Holland. Holland took over for Statman in the fourth and pitched 3 2/3 innings allowing one run and four hits.

"We've got three girls battling to be our No. 1," Casey said. "Taylor stepped up. That's two days in a row for her."

Horizon, which trailed 10-2 after 3 1/2 innings after Canyon del Oro (10-2) scored eight runs in the fourth, began its comeback with a crooked number of its own. Statman started the inning with a solo homer. After four more hits in succession, including a two-run ground-rule double by Katie Gore, the Huskies comeback was in bloom. Holland helped herself singling home Gore to cap the inning and make it 10-7. That inning inspired Horizon and gave them the confidence that a win wasn't out of the question.

Canyon del Oro didn't do poorly at the plate either. Stanford-bound outfielder Kayla Bonstrom doubled, tripled and homered and drove in four runs batting second in the lineup. Catcher Sammy Nettling added two hits, including a home run.

Horizon added another tournament win later on Wednesday, blanking Sahuaro, 1-0. With a 2-1 record in the tourney, the Huskies are hungry for a little more recognition. A win over Queen Creek on Thursday would give Horizon a 3-1 mark and a shot at the championship bracket of the tournament. Reaching the top eight come Saturday's bracket play should be enough to shine some light on the Huskies through the rest of the year.

Horizon was the top seed last year in the 5A-II state tournament, but eventually bowed out before the semifinals after losses to eventual state champion Deer Valley and Pinnacle.