Lady Hawks battle back to beat Kofa, soar to the season finale with state playoffs on the line

Gila Ridge softball keeps season alive in trip to Shadow Ridge, while Kofa hangs on by a thread

YUMA, Ariz., (KYMA, KECY) - Tuesday proved to be a heavyweight battle on the diamond in a game that became more than a cross town battle - but rather a lifeline for both of Gila Ridge and Kofa's playoff hopes.

Entering the night, Gila Ridge was ranked No. 23 in 6A - right on the brink of the play-in round, while the Kings were in the same situation at No. 22 in 5A.

And it would be a game where the winning side would have to claw for all 21 outs and come away on top.

After a throwing error to score one and an RBI single from Katelyn Pisaeno in the bottom half of the first, the Lady Kings jumped out to a 2-0 lead.

But the Hawks would answer and cut the lead in half in the top half of the second with an RBI double off the bat of Raegan Rosas to score Aimee Cisneros.

Then in the top of the third, Gila Ridge's Addison Duke would deliver a big time bomb over the right field wall to even the score back up at 2-2.

The game would remain tied through the fourth inning, and then in the fifth the Hawks would strike again on an RBI triple from Isabella Beltran, followed up an RBI groundout from Duke to make it 4-2 Hawks.

They would tack on one more in the top half of the sixth on a ball dropped in center field with two outs, making it a three-run game heading into the bottom half.

In the bottom of the seventh with two outs and nobody on base, the Kings were down to their last breath with Stephany Montoya at the plate - and she would instantly breathe some life back into the Kings, hitting a missile into the night of left center field for a solo home run to make it 5-3.

After a Pisaeno walk, Izabellah Fuentes represented the tying run before lining out to right field and putting an end to a thriller at Caballeros Field at Kofa High School.

The Lady Hawks survived 5-3, keeping their state playoff hopes alive. They will travel to No. 8 ranked Shadow Ridge on Wednesday for the regular season finale - a win almost guaranteeing a playoff spot.

For the Kings, the hope remains alive with three games left, ending the season on a home-and-away series with Youngker. That series also giving the Kings a shot at the Central Valley Region title after entering the week tied with Buckeye at (9-1).