Updated 3/9/08, 6:30 pm

REDDING – The Mt. Shasta Lady Bears earned a one-seed for the elimination rounds of the NorCal shootout at Big League Dreams in Redding, last Friday and Saturday.
The Bears opened pool play on Friday with an 8-4 loss to University Prep. Lady Bear Amber Butts went 2-for-4, with a triple, a run, and an RBI. Amanda Woods was the starting pitcher and took the loss, giving up eight runs, two earned runs, and six hits over six innings.
Then, the resilient Lady Bears came back with strong wins over Central Valley 8-1, and Princeton 10-0 to win their pool. In the Central Valley game, Bella Campbell led the Lady Bears’ offense, going 2-for-2, with two runs, and two RBI. Sammy Reed was 2-for-2, with two runs, and an RBI. Tori Weatherford drove in two runs, scored a run, and went 2-for-3.Valerie Hougan was 1-for-3, with two RBI. Lauren McCurrey got the start and complete game win on the mound, going five innings, giving up one earned run, and six hits.
Against Princeton, Butts was 2-for-4, with three RBI, and a run. Weatherford went 1-for-2, with two runs, and two RBI. Hougan was 2-for-2, and scored twice. Woods recorded the complete game win, going five innings and giving up six hits and no runs. She fanned six.
On Saturday morning, the Bears seemed destined to advance, when they held a 7-2 lead over Portola in the top of the fourth inning. Portola, however, had their sights set on advancement, and came back to tie the game 7-7 in the bottom half of the inning.
Mt. Shasta put a run on the board in the top of the fifth inning to lead 8-7. In the bottom half of the inning, with two outs and the game time limit looming, Portola had runners on first and second base. One pitch, one swing of the bat later, and Portola had hit a walk-off three-run homer, to win 10-8.
Four Lady Bears went 2-for-3 against Portola: Emma Taylor (2 RBI), Jackie Degray (2 RBI, R), Hougan (2 R, RBI), and Donetta Young (2 RBI, R). McCurrey went the distance and took the loss, pitching five innings and giving up 10 runs, eight earned runs, 15 hits, and a walk.
The Lady Bears went 2-2 at the tournament, and are 4-2 overall. Mt. Shasta plays next on Tuesday, March 11 in a double-header at Central Valley

Suzzanne Lunney contributed to this story