TORRANCE - The Torrance National Tournament didn't start out so well for Port Of Los Angeles High softball.

Two hard-fought losses to King of Riverside and Foothill of Henderson, Nevada knocked the Polar Bears into a slump where they would lose five out of six game after starting the season 2-0, and appeared to not find an answer to their hitting troubles.

Well on Friday, POLA would bounce back big time.

Two consolation games at Wilson Park in Torrance saw a rejuvenated Polar Bears team that took it to Bishop Gorman of Las Vegas, Nevada in a 7-2 victory, then show tremendous character when backed into two bases-loaded jams before holding off Verrado of Buckeye, Arizona in a 3-1 victory. With those two victories, the reigning CIF-Los Angeles City Section Small Schools champions earned two quality wins against two out-of-state powers.

Against Bishop Gorman, sophomore pitcher Nicolle Miranda would serve notice right away with a one-out two-run home run in the top of the first inning, which would set the tone for a revitalized POLA (5-5 overall) offense that struggled mightily in a 3-0, eight-inning loss to King, and a 4-2 loss to Foothill to start the TNT Tournament.

The Gaels (3-5) would answer with a leadoff solo home run from junior third baseman Shelbie Estocado off Miranda's fifth pitch of the game, but then POLA would go up 4-1 on junior shortstop Kelsea Short's two-RBI double in the top of the third inning. Bishop Gorman would cut their deficit in half yet again in the bottom of the third, but back came the Polar Bears in the top of the fourth.

Senior catcher Brianna Grayson laced a leadoff single to right-center field, then junior first baseman Allison Bayer deposited a 1-and-2 pitch over the left field fence for a towering two-run homer that allowed POLA to pull away. Sophomore Tiffany Mercado finished the scoring in the top of the seventh with a pinch-hit RBI-single.

Miranda went 2-for-4 with a homer and 2 RBIs, while hurling a five-hitter with two earned runs, a walk and eight strikeouts to pace POLA. Short went 2-for-4 with a double, 2 RBIs and a run scored, while sophomore second baseman Rosemary Garcia and sophomore third baseman Savanna Ramirez added doubles.

Then against Verrado (12-4), Short would put the Polar Bears up 1-0 in the top of the third inning with a booming solo home run to left field. The Vipers would tie it in the bottom of the third on sophomore third baseman Alex Sonoqui's RBI-single. 

Garcia would put the Polar Bears ahead to stay in the top of the fifth with her two-run single that brought in Miranda and sophomore right fielder Tiffany Torres.

Miranda would work her way out of a one-out bases loaded jam in the second inning, and a two-out bases loaded jam in the bottom of the sixth before ending the game by striking out junior catcher Kaylah Hampton. The Polar Bears committed four errors defensively but still managed to garner their second big win of the day.

The Polar Bears' outfield of Torres, junior center fielder Sarah Maldonado and freshman left fielder Vanessa Munoz made five critical catches on fly balls to aid Miranda, who walked six, allowed three hits and struck out three.

POLA has one more game in the TNT Tournament on Saturday at 8:30am against an opponent to be determined.