NO. 2 NIGHTHAWKS WIN A TIGHT ONE VS. NO. 1 BRONCOS

Del Norte High is making quite an impressive case for the Palomar League softball championship.

The No. 2-ranked Nighthawks’ latest effort, a 1-0 win over top-ranked Rancho Bernardo on Tuesday, keeps them tied with San Marcos for first place.

Both co-leaders stand 6-1 in league play.

It took a two-hit pitching gem by senior Emma Giaime and the lone RBI by senior Tess Altevers-Harris for the outcome to go Del Norte’s way in a game that lasted just 1 hour, 25 minutes.

“Emma was in command the whole way,” said Altevers-Harris, the Illinois-Chicago-bound shortstop. “She gets a lot of ground balls and they never really threatened to score.”

Rancho Bernardo (20-4-1, 4-3) failed to advance a runner to second base as the Nighthawks won their eighth game in the last nine outings.

A 2-1 loser to Del Norte in nine innings in the last meeting on April 7, Rancho Bernardo got a single from Audree Mendoza to snap a string of 11 straight outs by Giaime to open the game and an infield hit by Lauren Hoffner in the fifth inning.

Giaime, who will play next season at the University of San Diego, walked one, struck out seven and retired the final eight batters, improving to 13-2.

“We’re so confident on defense because we have Emma’s back,” Altevers-Harris said. “We’re a super competitive team, especially against one of our rivals.

“We’ve beaten them twice by a run each time, so I guess we’re two runs better than them.”

And two games ahead of them in the league standings courtesy of a 2-1 loss to San Marcos in the first round of league play.

The Nighthawks, who play a nonleague game today against Scripps Ranch and are at Poway on Thursday, visit San Marcos next Tuesday for what could be the league title deciding game.

Del Norte (20-3-1 overall) had the first eight batters go down against Madison Hulse before Italia Abrenica, the ninth hitter in the lineup, lined a double to right-center with two outs.

Altevers-Harris took an 0-1 pitch to center to score the game’s lone run.

“I saw she was throwing outside a lot, so I threw the bat at the pitch and it went for a hit,” Altevers-Harris said. “I’ve been in that situation a few times, so I’m used to it. Playing for the lead behind Emma is just how we play.”

The one run allowed by

Rancho Bernardo was just the 39th run the Broncos have give up in 25 games.

Hulse allowed four hits, one walk and a hit batter to fall to 15-4.

Abrenica, who entered the game with just three RBIs this season, was 2for-3.

“We’d all like to have that Mt. Carmel loss back,” Altevers-Harris said. “But that’s the way the Palomar League is. You have to play everybody tough because nobody is a soft touch.”