KLAMATH FALLS -- The Phoenix softball team had first place in the Skyline Conference within its reach on Saturday.

But Henley had other ideas, erupting for seven runs in the first inning of the second game to pull out a critical 14-4 win over the Pirates to remain one game ahead in the standings.

Phoenix won the opener, 5-3, scoring one run in the first inning and four runs in the second.

The split leaves Henley at 12-1 in league play, while Phoenix and Lakeview both stand 11-2.

Beth Battazzo picked up the win for the Pirates in Game 1, limiting Henley to seven hits, but was victimized by the Hornets' sting in the first and fifth innings of the second game.

Henley tallied five runs in the fifth to make things easy for starter Mandy Hargrave and reliever Holly Sharp.

Molly Pendergast led Phoenix with five hits and three RBIs on the day.

Leah Azevedo led Henley with three hits, including a home run and five RBIs in the second game.

FIRST GAME

Phoenix.............................140 000 0 -- 5 7 1
Henley................................000 012 0 -- 3 7 4

Battazzo and Wills; Hargrave and L. Azevedo. W -- Battazzo. L -- Hargrave. 2B -- P: Pendergast; H: Steinbock.

SECOND GAME

Phoenix..............................000 030 1 -- 4 7 3
Henley................................700 050 x -- 12 11 1

Battazzo and Wills; Hargrave, Sharp (7) and L. Azevedo. W -- Hargrave. L -- Battazzo. 2B -- P: McEvoy; H: Herbert. 3B -- H: Criss. HR -- H: L. Azevedo.

The Pirates won the opener and appeared on their way to their first league loss, down four with two out and nobody on in the bottom of the seventh.

But Phoenix went on to score four runs in the inning, the last coming when pitcher Eli Farrar doubled home Drew Pierson to send the game into extra innings. Evan Wiesner knocked in the winning run in the eighth.

FIRST GAME

Henley............................ 000 000 2 -- 2 6 0
Phoenix ..........................200 003 x -- 5 11 1

Cunningham and Hanson; Wiesner and Parent. W -- Wiesner (5-0). L -- Cunningham. 2B -- P: A. Hull, Parent, Sims.

SECOND GAME

Henley ..............................011 20(10) 20 -- 16 19 3
Phoenix............................ 404 040 41 -- 17 19 3

Hamilton, Waldon (7), Cunningham (8), and Hansen; Farrar, Pierson (2), Lillis (4), T. Hull (6), Wiesner (8), and Parent. W -- Wiesner (6-0). L -- Waldon. 2B -- H: Hansen; P: Pierson, Bartels, Farrar. 3B -- H: Hansen; P: Wiesner, A. Hull, Bartels.

SOUTH UMPQUA 3-11, LAKEVIEW 2-4 -- At Tri City, senior Randy Richardson smashed a home run and junior Micah Mills contributed a double in the first inning of the first game to set the tone in the South Umpqua sweep.

The Lancers went on a six-run surge in the first inning of the second game and left the Honkers unable to cut into the lead with the help of Mills and Richardson, who both slugged homers for South Umpqua. Dustin Stubbs sent one over the fence for Lakeview in the second game.

FIRST GAME

South Umpqua.................. 200 000 1 -- 3 3 2
Lakeview ............................001 010 0 -- 2 7 2

Mills and Richardson; Sedlacek and Havley. W -- Mills. L -- Sedlacek. 2B -- SU: Matson, Mills. L: Sedlacek. HR -- SU: Richardson.

SECOND GAME

South Umpqua ..................620 020 1 -- 11 14 0
Lakeview ............................200 000 2 -- 4 2 2

Mosley and Richardson; Hadley, Butler (2), and Havley. W -- Mosley. L -- Havley. 2B -- SU: Mills, Peterman, Mosley. 2B -- L: Down, Longacre. HR -- SU: Mills, Richardson; L: Stubbs

HIDDEN VALLEY 4-13, NORTH VALLEY 3-5-- At Hidden Valley, Ryan Wilson went 4-for-7 with seven RBIs in a doubleheader sweep of North Valley.

Andy Sakraida won the first game for Hidden Valley when his shot to right field scored Ben Weigelpe on a full count with two outs in the bottom of the seventh.

Wilson followed up a home run in the first game with another in the second. Wilson went 3-for-4 with five RBIs in the nightcap.

FIRST GAME

North Valley............................ 000 003 0 -- 3 7 0
Hidden Valley .........................210 000 1 -- 4 10 1

Godfrey and Stickler; Weigel, Scott (5), and Hoagland. W -- Scott (6-1). L -- Godfrey. 2B -- NV: Jarrett, Pedersen; HV: Hoagland. 3B -- HV: Pietsch. HR -- HV: Wilson.

SECOND GAME

North Valley ............................300 401 0 -- 8 7 3
Hidden Valley .........................230 071 x -- 13 12 2