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Herriman • The Herriman softball team blew open a close contest in the fourth inning and went on to defeat Lehi 12-3 Thursday evening on the Mustangs' senior day.

The win allowed the Mustangs (17-4, 12-0) to finish play in Region 4 with a perfect record.

The players accepted the league trophy following the game, even though they had already assured themselves of claiming it with a victory earlier in the week.

Herriman senior pitcher Shayna Alofipo was dominating on the mound in her first full game back after rehabilitating a torn quadriceps for much of the season.

She gave up two hits and one earned run. She also retired the side in order in three of the innings and faced four batters in two others.

The Mustangs have multiple pitchers, but it was a mark of the coaches' confidence in Alofipo to throw her against the region's next-best team.

"I was a little nervous at the start," she admitted.

She had thrown an inning or two here and there since being cleared to pitch again, but this game was a chance to test her fitness for state tournament action.

"I told myself to keep the ball low and not give them anything up in the strike zone, and it worked," Alofipo said.

She was also pleased with how her body responded to the workout.

"I feel like I've come back stronger than before," she said. "I did a lot of physical therapy to try to recover from this injury, and I think it's helped me all the way around."

The teams were tied at 1 after the first inning, and Herriman added a couple more in the third, but it was in the fourth that the wheels really came off for the Pioneers.

The Mustangs batted through the order plus one in that turn. With two outs, freshman designated player Shalee Jensen drove in two runs with a single that helped push her team ahead 8-1.

She said the girls didn't want to relax even though they knew they already had the region title in hand.

"Our coaches reminded us before the game that we hadn't lost at home all season," Jensen said. "We wanted to push through and keep that record intact." —

Herriman 12, Lehi 3

R The Herriman softball team dominated at the plate and in the field to beat second-place Lehi.

• Every batter for the Mustangs scored at least one run.

• The Pioneers (14-13, 9-3) finished in second place and will get a home game to open the state tournament.