ANAHEIM - It wasn't easy, but the Mary Star High softball team continues its winning ways thanks two thrilling clutch hits from senior infielder Cassie Demers.

In a Katella Tournament pool play game, the Stars were able to knock off the tournament host, 2-1 in eight innings as Demers went 2-for-4 at the plate, with both of her hits resulting in both runs. Also contributing mightily to Mary Star's third straight victory is sophomore pitcher Marina Vitalich, who allowed one run on four hits, striking out nine.

Demers first struck in the top of the fourth inning with a single that drove in Vitalich, who led off the inning with a walk. Katella tied it in the bottom of the fourth when Mary Star misplayed a fly ball on a simple base hit that turned into a home run, but Katella would never reach the scoreboard again.

The two teams went into the eighth inning still tied at 1-1 with the international tiebreaker in effect where a runner would start on second base for both teams.

Advantage Mary Star.

With senior infielder Rikki Legaspi-Valdez on second base, Vitalich popped out to second base, and Amber Nunez flied out to center field, setting the stage for Demers.

The All-Camino Real League returner would blast a single to left field to bring home Legaspi-Valdez for the go-ahead run, and then Vitalich would nail down her sixth victory by retiring 3 of the four batters she faced in the bottom of the eighth inning without allowing a run. This was Demers' second career game-winning hit, as she also belted a two-run go-ahead single to knock off in-city neighbor Port Of Los Angeles last season.

Mary Star has the whole week and a half off before resuming Camino Real League play in April.