Senior Tara Lorona, a Gateway Community College commit, broke a scoreless game with a sixth-inning homerun to lead the top-ranked Lady Bearcats to a 1 – 0 victory against the visiting Pantherettes last Wednesday.
The game was the first of two regular-season meetings between the teams with the potential for a third in the playoffs, where both figure to be contenders for a state title in May.
Lorona’s blast was one of only two Lady Cats’ hits in the game but it was enough with senior Daniella Hinojos on the mound. Ray’s ace tossed a three-hit, complete-game shutout to pick up her fifth-straight win of the season. She fanned eight and issued only one walk.
Superior senior Korinna Romero matched Hinojos nearly pitch for pitch. In her longest outing of the season, Romero surrendered only two hits while striking out six Ray hitters without issuing a walk.
Seniors Lindsay Ketron and Marisa Estatico accounted for two of the Pantherettes’ three hits. Sophomore McKenna Duarte had the other.
Superior up next: Mar. 28 at Bagdad (5 p.m.), Mar. 29 vs. Valley Union (3:15 p.m.), and Apr. 2 at Duncan (4 p.m.).
Ray up next: Mar. 27 at San Tan Foothills (6 p.m.), Mar. 29 vs. Duncan (4 p.m.), and Apr. 2 at Ft. Thomas (4 p.m.).