TORRANCE - After a long two-week layoff, Port Of Los Angeles High softball was back into action against a red-hot West Torrance team whom the Polar Bears defeated earlier in the season.

Since then, the Warriors have won five in a row, but now that streak would grow to six.

Senior right fielder Crystal Monarrez belted a single to right-center field to drive home junior center fielder Brooke Hanners with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning to power West to a 4-3 victory over visiting POLA, who have now lost three in a row. Monarrez went 3-for-4 with a double and 3 RBIs to lead the charge for the Warriors (6-2 overall).

West would go up 2-0 with sophomore left fielder Abigail Estrada's RBI-single in the third inning and Monarrez's RBI-sacrifice fly in the fourth inning, but the Polar Bears (2-3) would storm back in the top of the fifth inning.

Back-to-back singles by junior first baseman Allison Bayer and sophomore third baseman Briana Valencia would get things going, then one out later, junior shortstop Kelsea Short's RBI-single would drive home Bayer. Junior center fielder Sarah Maldonado slapped a single to left field, and then sophomore pitcher Nicolle Miranda's two-RBI single would put POLA in the lead, 3-2 with one out.

The Polar Bears had a golden opportunity to increase the lead in the top of the sixth inning with runners on second and third base, but Hanners made a tremendous over-the-head catch on a fly ball from Valencia, then threw to third to double up sophomore left fielder Tiffany Mercado who didn't tag up for an inning-ending double play.

That would prove to be a detrimental mistake... and a one-run swing, as Monarrez's two-out RBI-single would drive in Hanners to tie the game at 3-3 in the bottom of the sixth inning for West.

Neither team mounted a threat in the seventh inning, forcing extra innings.

In the top of the eighth, a two-out walk from sophomore catcher Savana Ramirez, a transfer from West to POLA, and Bayer's second hit of the game put runners on first and second, but Valencia grounded out to sophomore shortstop Erika Rhodes to douse the Polar Bears' chance to reclaim the advantage.

Hanners, who scored three runs, led off the bottom of the eighth taking Miranda's seventh pitch to the left shoulder for a critical hit-by-pitch with a full count, then the Warriors got another break two batters later.

Sophomore second baseman Elizabeth Babbitt hit a line drive to left field caught by POLA senior left fielder Brianna Grayson, who then overthrew Bayer at first trying to double up Hanners, who was quick to take second base.

Finally, Monarrez would deliver the final blow with her walk-off single off a 1-and-2 pitch.

Ramirez went 2-for-3 with a walk, Bayer went 2-for-4 with a run scored, while sophomore second baseman Rosemary Garcia doubled in the fourth inning for POLA. Miranda scattered 10 hits with a walk, a hit batter, and four strikeouts. Maldonado was 1-for-2 with a walk and hit-by-pitch.

The Polar Bears will next host Maya Angelou of Los Angeles on Monday for their Crosstown League opener.