Torrey Pines Lady Falcons Softball

ESCONDIDO — They weren't asking pitcher Taylor Lee to do too much.

Standing at the plate in the top of the seventh inning of the championship softball game of the Cougar Classic's Gold Bracket with the international tiebreaker rule in effect, the Torrey Pines High senior was poised for her part in squeezing home the go-ahead run.

"I've been so scared in that situation before,' Lee said. "I had to pull through. I had to get a piece of it.'

Lee's bunt was good enough to chase home Lauren Filicia with what proved to be the winning run in a 2-1 victory over Bonita Vista on Monday night at Kit Carson Park to clinch only the second tournament title.

Lee made that RBI stand up by registering two strikeouts around throwing out the runner who started the inning at second base for the inning's second out.

Bonita's pinch-hitter Natalie Cox unloaded a long triple just after the runner was erased at third base and Lee fanned the final batter for the win.

"The key with the international tiebreaker is striking out the first batter,' said Lee, who improved to 3-0. "She's the most important out to get. You have to keep that runner at second.'

Lee did that. Bonita Vista's Alexa Vargas didn't.

By making the last out in the previous inning, Filicia began the inning at second. Lauren Hynes, who scored the first run for the Falcons (7-0) on an error in the second inning, sacrificed her to third base.

Then came Lee's bunt.

"My heart was pumping so fast right there, knowing we were squeezing,' Lee said. "I've had to learn how to bunt over the years on this team.

"My goal was to not screw it up.'

Lee allowed five hits and walked one while striking out nine.

Vargas was even better, allowing just two bunt singles and no walks while striking out nine.

"We're so lucky to have the three starting pitchers we have with Rachel Nasland, Hynes and me,' Lee said. "We have a ton of arms, so no one should ever get tired.

"We don't look at it like we may not get as many starts as we would if we were a team with just one pitcher like a lot of teams.'

Torrey Pines downed Steele Canyon 12-2 in the semifinals while Bonita Vista (4-1-1) roared back from a 4-0 deficit to edge Carlsbad 6-4 in the other semifinal game.

"This is a remarkable tournament,' Falcons coach Jon Moore said. "You play a lot of good teams and to get this far tells me we're pretty good.

"We can pitch. Even at 43 feet, the game is still all about pitching.'