A good week of softball continued Thursday night as Hamilton High continued to rebound from a slow start this season.

Pitcher Allison Weyandt turned in her marquee peformance of the season, tossing a three-hit shutout of Desert Ridge in a 5-0 6A non-region victory at Desert Ridge High.

Hamilton registered its second win in three days over top 6A opponents and reached the .500 mark at 5-5. The Huskies dealt Premier Region foe Xavier Prep its first loss on Tuesday. Desert Ridge brought a 7-2 record to Thursday and was fresh off a shutout of Central Region leader Desert Vista. Hamilton is in a three-way tie for first in the Premier with Xavier and Perry. Desert Vista shares the Centreal lead with Desert Vista.

Weyandt, a junior, has only been available for five of the team's 10 games. She underwent non-athletic surgery shortly after the season began. Thursday's outing was her best as she allowed three hits, walked one and struck out nine.

"I felt good and thought by catcher and I worked well together," Weyandt said. "We mixed pitches and I was able to do my job."

Weyandt didn't have much wiggle room until the late innings. She was, however, staked to a 2-0 lead in the third thanks to a two-run homer to center by leadoff hitter Cailynn Parsons. Hamilton managed seven hits in the game, but fanned 11 times. The two innings it scored multiple runs (third and seventh) it collected three hits in each.

Trouble came Weyandt's way twice (first and fifth innings). Desert Ridge put its first two batters on in the first, but Weyandt used two strikeouts and come-backer to escape. In the fifth she retired the first two hitters, but followed with her only walk and hit two batters to fill the bases. She coaxed a swinging strikeout to get out of the jam. Weyandt retired the final seven batters in succession, fanning four.

Hamilton's offense made the finish easier. A double (Kate Vance), catcher's interference, a walk and hit batter (RBI for Maddy Beall) made it 3-0 in the sixth. A single by Bella Angelo, double by catcher Liv Lostorto, a passed ball and infield hit (RBI from Kelly Downs) bumped the lead to 5-0 in the seventh.

Angelo was 2-3 and Vance 2-4 to lead the Huskies' attack. Desert Ridge leadoff hitter Alivia Delacruz had two of the team's three hits. Hamilton plays next on Monday hosting 5A sister-school Casteel. Desert Ridge visits Corona del Sol in a region game on Friday.