PREP SOFTBALL ROUNDUP : Hart Can’t Power El Dorado to Title

El Dorado’s Nikki Hart hit two home runs, but it was a single over her glove that gave Corona Centennial the Canyon tournament softball championship Tuesday at Peralta Park.

Centennial scored in the bottom of the seventh inning to take a 5-4 victory over El Doroado despite Hart’s best efforts.

It was part of a big day for the El Dorado senior, who had two home runs and four runs batted in in a 10-4 semifinal victory over Esperanza, and following with two two-run homers against the most valuable pitcher in the tournament, Jennifer Tolton.

Tolton (14-2) had allowed only one run in the four previous tournament games.

El Dorado is 11-6.

Hart, who bats third, had five homers in the tournament but no explanation for her explosive output.

“I don’t know, I was just all over it,” she said. “It was the best day of my life.”

She had two of El Dorado’s four hits; her first home run came in the top of the first inning, her second came with one out in the sixth and gave the Golden Hawks a 4-3 lead.

“I thought we had it (at that point),” Hart said, “but you never know until the end.”

Centennial (17-2) tied it in the bottom of the sixth on Isela Zamorano’s leadoff home run. The Huskies won it in the bottom of the seventh on two infield singles and Hart’s throwing error, an intentional walk, and Tolton’s grounder up the middle past Hart--who was playing in at second base. Even had she gloved the ball, she wouldn’t have been able to nail Stephanie Tolton at the plate--she had dived to her backhand side.

“The ball hit a bump and it went right over my glove,” Hart said.

Hart and Zamorano were named co-most valuable offensive players in the tournament, and Tolton was the most valuable pitcher. Losing pitcher Kelli Tom (9-4) was also named to the all-tournament team.