After taking two straight games from Sunnyvale National to claim the district title, the Southern bats went silent against Union City National in game one of the best-of-three sectional at Ortega Park.

Union City's Christina Panuco pitched a no-hitter, outdueling Southern ace Kelly Verstegen and leading her team to a 3-0 win on July 24. Three days later, Union City rallied for a 5-4 victory in eight innings and a berth in the Division 2 tournament.

Verstegen permitted only three baserunners, none past second base, as she shut out Union City during the first five innings of game one. Union City broke a scoreless deadlock in the bottom of the sixth, stringing together three of its five singles with a walk for all of its runs.

In game two, the Southern girls' bats came alive again. They rapped 11 hits, including singles by Lindsey Chase, Emily Pool, Verstegen and Nicole Wadley during a two-run third inning. Pool and pinch-runner Adriana Hampton scored the first runs of the game.

Southern led 4-2 going into the bottom of the sixth, but Union City scored twice.

Southern threatened to go ahead with a two-out rally in the top of the eighth. Rachel Nishimoto walked and reached second on a hit by Pool, but was stranded there. Union City then scored in the last of the eighth, ending Southern's fine season.

Pool led Southern with three hits and teammate Mandi Schneider had two. Chase made a sparkling defensive play in right field in the seventh. After grabbing a line drive, Chase fired to Lauren Cole at first base, doubling off a Union City runner.

Southern had much more to shout about while beating out Sunnyvale National.

Verstegen pitched a one-hitter and led Southern's nine-hit attack during a 6-1 triumph in game one. Then in game two, Southern rallied for three runs in the last of the seventh to overtake National for a series-clinching 6-5 win.

Verstegen struck out 10 National batters and walked just one during her one-hit gem. She helped herself at the plate with three hits, including two doubles, and drove in two runs. Wadley had two hits, an RBI and a run scored. Pool belted an RBI double and scored two runs.

Jen Le broke up Verstegen's no-hitter in the sixth inning with a single. Two innings earlier Le's hustle provided National with its only run of the game. After reaching base on an error, Le stole second, scampered to third on a ground out to second and scurried home on a passed ball.

In game two, National again had a tough time scoring off of Verstegen. The Southern pitcher worked out of a bases-loaded mess in the first, then allowed just a hit and a walk over the next three frames.

National broke through for four runs in the fifth inning, Le and Jessica Aragon delivering key hits in the rally. An RBI single by M. Chavez in the sixth extended National's lead to 5-3.

Southern's decisive last-inning uprising was triggered by Nishimoto's triple. After Pool walked, Nishimoto scored on Verstegen's sacrifice bunt. Wadley singled home Pool with the tying run and moved to third on a throwing error.

With the score tied, Chase was inserted as a pinch-runner for Wadley at third. When captain Caitlin Wallin cracked the ball to the right side, Chase dashed home.

Breanna Gildea, Stephanie Yue, Tiffany Garcia and Quemille Peyton also were on the team.