Dayton softball defeats North Valleys

The Dayton High softball team picked up an impressive win, beating 4A North Valleys 7-4 on Thursday at home.

Dayton also continued its impressive start, improving to 5-0. "We're off to a great start," Dayton coach Dusti Houk said.

Nicole Greer was the winning pitcher, going the distance. She allowed two earned runs on five hits while striking out seven.

"It was a very nice win," Houk said. "Nicole pitched very well and the team hit the ball very well."

Dayton jumped out to a 6-0 lead after two innings. In the first, Aeelie Garcia singled and after Rachel Hurt was hit by a pitch, Lacy Taylor followed with a two-run double. Jessie Ayres then doubled home a run and scored on a single by Danielle Rodriguez.

In the second, Natalie Malekos doubled and after Hurt and Taylor walked, Ayres follwed with an RBI single and Hurt scored on a fielder's choice. Dayton added a run in the fifth when Malekos singled and scored on Hurt's triple.

Malekos went 2-for-3 with a double and three runs, Ayres was 2-for-4 with a run and Aaitlin McKinnon and Vienna Cabrita each added a hit for Dayton, which opens Northern 3A play on Saturday in a doubleheader against Lowry.