BENICIA HIGH’S softball team swept the Elk Grove Victory Tournament last weekend and is still unbeaten this season.

Benicia High’s varsity softball team survived a series of one-run games and came home from last weekend’s Elk Grove Victory Tournament with the championship trophy.

Benicia, still perfect at 7-0 this season, opened the tournament last Thursday with a 3-1 victory over Oak Ridge, then beat Central Catholic and Elk Grove on Friday to reach Saturday’s championship round undefeated. The Lady Panthers beat Franklin, 6-5, in Saturday’s semifinals, then held on to beat Pleasant Grove, 6-5, to secure the tournament title.

“We wanted to play tough competition, and for us to come out of it unbeaten and with the trophy is pretty amazing,” said Benicia manager Kristin Grubbs.

Benicia scored four times in the first inning against Franklin, only to see the Wildcats storm back to take a 6-4 lead in the fifth inning. But the Lady Panthers wouldn’t be denied, scoring twice in the sixth inning to regain the lead for good.

Victoria Mackey pitched a compete game against Franklin and also drove in two runs. Courtney Bowling had two hits and was one of six Lady Panthers to score a run.

Benicia scored three times in the first inning and added three more runs in the fifth for a seemingly safe 6-0 lead against Pleasant Grove in the championship game. The Lady Eagles, however, rallied for four runs in the sixth and pulled to within 6-5 in the seventh before Benicia finally put them away.

“We were able to regain our composure and hold them off,” Grubbs said. “It shows that our team is able to handle adversity.”

Shelby Thompson went 4-for-4 with two runs and played excellent defense at shortstop throughout the tournament. McKenna Gregory pitched a complete game and also went 2-for-3 with two RBIs. Brianna Schlattman drove in a pair, Katie Vretzos scored twice, and Mallory Barnard had two hits.

Allie Bullock caught all five games in the tournament for Benicia, which beat four Division I schools en route to the championship.

“We want to show that last year wasn’t a fluke,” Grubbs said, referring to Benicia’s Sac-Joaquin Section title. “We’re able to compete with the best. We’re a force to be reckoned with.”

The Lady Panthers return to Solano County Athletic Conference action Tuesday at Vanden. Benicia has won 45 straight SCAC games, its last conference loss coming at Vanden on March 22, 2012.

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