SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. — With its back against the wall, the Mill Creek Little League major-division softball team found a way to stay alive Wednesday in the West Region tournament.
Watch video of the game’s highlights.
Facing elimination in its last at-bat and down to its final out, Mill Creek scored three runs to beat Southern California 3-2 and advanced to play Thursday in another loser-out contest.
Kiana Holden drove in Emery Tulio on the first pitch she saw with two outs in the final frame for the winning run, immediately after Tulio tied the game with a two-run single.
Yanina Sherwood started the rally with a one-out double, and advanced to third on a single by Gabrielle Raysbrook. Hannah Lamay, Southern California’s second pitcher of the game, recorded a strikeout, setting the stage for Tulio.
Like Holden, she hit the first pitch she saw from Lamay back up the middle, scoring Raysbrook and courtesy runner Elena Eigner to tie the game.
Raysbrook went 3-for-3 at the plate in the game for Mill Creek.
Sherwood was solid on the mound, allowing two unearned runs in the fourth inning.
She allowed four hits, struck out three and did not walk a batter.
Mill Creek will play Hawaii in the second of two semifinal matchups Thursday, with first pitch scheduled for noon at Houghton Stadium. The winner of that contest will face the winner of the 9 a.m. semifinal between Oregon and Northern California in Friday’s 10 a.m. regional final.
Hawaii blanked Mill Creek 3-0 on Tuesday.
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