Mountainview girls live to fight another day with 5-4 win over Highline in district tourney, will play Enumclaw or Bonney Lake today at 1:30 p.m. | Fastpitch

May 25, 2010 3:19 am

The Auburn Mountainview girls rebounded from their first-round loss at the West Central District III 3A tourney with a second-round, 5-4 victory over Highline at Sprinker Recreation Center in Tacoma Monday.

After being forced into the consolation bracket with a 4-0 loss to Port Angeles in a 12:30 p.m. contest yesterday, the Lions were on the verge of elimination, in desperate need of a win to keep any state berth dreams alive.

After blanking the Pirates in their half of the first, Mountainview showed signs of life in the bottom of the first loading the bases with one out. The Lions were unable to muster enough firepower to score a run in the inning, however.

Port Angeles posted the first score of the game in the second inning, with Miriam Santana roughing up senior Kristin Herren with a RBI triple to deep left field. Santana later scored on a single by Rayna McElwain to put Highline up 2-0.

After shutting down Auburn Mountainview in the bottom of the second, the Pirates struck again in the third, with Mikki Haury driving home Samantha Erben with an inside the park home run, putting Highline up 4-0.

The Lions finally roared in the bottom of the fifth, with Herren and Alleyah Armendariz getting on base with singles and setting the plate for Deanna Colburn’s two RBI triple to left field. Auburn Mountainview brought the score to 4-3 with Colburn scoring on a Quierra Bradford single.

After Armendariz, who relieved Herren in the circle in the fifth inning, held the Pirates scoreless in the top of the seventh, the Lions again struck in the seventh, with Callie Kirk leading off with a single. Amanda Colella drew a walk and Armendariz tied it up with an RBI single, again setting the table for Colburn, who drove in Collela for the winning run.

Colburn finished the game with 2-of-4 hitting and three RBIs. Armendariz was 4-of-4 with an RBI.

Herren was awarded the win.

The Lions had 10 hits and committed two errors. The Pirates had six hits.

The win moves Auburn Mountainview on to the third round with a 1:30 p.m. loser-out contest today against the winner of this morning’s Bonney Lake versus Enumclaw contest.