The Douglas Lady Bulldogs edged the Desert View Lady Jaguars 5-4 in non-conference softball play last Thursday at Douglas High School.

Bruce Whetten/Douglas Dispatch Lady Bulldog catcher Mishell Quinonez can’t get the tag down fast enough on a Desert View player as she slides across home plate in non-conference softball action last week. Douglas allowed a 4-1 lead to slip away before winning 5-4.

“This was a typical Desert View, Douglas kind of ballgame,” Douglas’ coach Abe Grijalva said afterwards. “I’m very proud of the girls for how they battled back.”

Following a scoreless three innings Desert View got on the board with an unearned run in the top of the fourth only to leave the bases loaded.

Douglas tied the game in the bottom half of the inning when Jackie Hernandez scored on a two out single by her sister Jasmine Hernandez.

The Lady Bulldogs rallied for three runs in the bottom of the fifth as Gio Posada, Nythzia Machado and Jackie Hernandez each scored giving Douglas a 4-1 lead.

Back came Desert View in the top of the sixth capitalizing on a couple of Douglas miscues tying the game at 4-4.

“We need to do a better job of being mentally tough and finishing the game rather than being happy we had a lead,” the Douglas coach said. “You know a team like Desert View has the potential to battle back which they did.”

Erika Tapia reached base on an error in the bottom half of the inning and later scored what proved to be the game winning run on hit by Victoria Mariscal giving the Lady Bulldogs a 5-4 edge.

Desert View didn’t go away however and had the tying run on third when the game ended in the top of the seventh.

“I knew Desert View was going to have a very respectable team fortunately we made the plays there at the end to come away with the win,” Coach Grijalva said. “The girls did a great job of battling back there at the end.”

Tapia was the winning pitcher. She went the distance, gave up four runs off six hits, fanned 10 and walked four.

Mariscal, Machado and Tapia each hit 2 for 4 for Douglas. Jackie Hernandez was 1 for 2 while Jasmine Hernandez was 1 for 3. Mishell Quinonez was 1 for 2.

Erika Tapia was the winning pitcher. She went the distance, gave up four runs off six hits, fanned 10 and walked four.

Douglas, 8-1, begins league play March 23 with a 4 p.m. home game against the Palo Verde Titans.