Tamara Statman isn't your conventional pitcher. The more she pitches, the better she gets. The sophomore right-hander proved that Saturday, pitching three complete games and performing progressively better as day turned into night.

Her final effort was quite impressive as she silenced the powerful bats of Basha with a four-hit shutout as Horizon posted a 10-0 win in the title game of the 16th annual Desert Mountain Softball Tournament at Horizon Park.

Horizon (16-3) became the 14th different school to win the tournament, which hasn't had a repeat winner since Red Mountain won the first two  in 1998 and 1999. The Lady Huskies also avenged their only loss of the tournament -- a 13-3 shellacking to Basha on Thursday. Statman was in the circle for that one, too, but was lit up by Basha (15-2) for 10 hits and 11 earned runs in four innings. Saturday night's title game was a different story. 

Statman scattered four hits, didn't walk a batter  and struck out 13 in handing Basha only its second loss of the season and first shutout defeat.The difference?

"I was working the corner (outside mostly) and hitting my spots," Statman said. "I pitched more relaxed.."

Statman was named the tournament's most valuable player and Saturday's stats showed why. She fanned 13 in a 7-5 win over Canyon del Oro to begin the day. In the semifinals a couple hours later, she struck out 10 and shut down Red Mountain in a 9-2 win. At the plate she had two hits in each game and scored five runs.

Statman got a variety of offensive help during the day, especially from battery mate Margo Stahm. The Lady Huskies senior catcher slugged four homersin the three games -- one vs. CDO two vs. Red Mountain and one against Basha. Stahm was 5-for-7 on the day, scored six runs and drove in nine. She knocked in five with a grand slam and solo homer in the semis against Red Mountain.

Basha clearly didn't play its best game in the field or in the circle in its third game of the day. The Lady Bears dominated offensively and with pitching in beating Paradise Valley 7-1, and Chaparral 11-1 earlier in the day to reach the final. Basha was never in the title game from the first batter on.

Horizon grabbed a 2-0 lead in the top of the first without a hit -- two walks and a Basha throwing error. The lead grew to 4-0 in the second with a couple bloop hits and misplay by Basha. Horizon finally hit Basha starter Kelsey Tidwell hard in the fourth, scoring three runs on four hits to go up 7-0. The big blow was a two-run double from Katie Gore. Tidwell was the winning pitcher for Basha in the 13-3 win. Tidwell allowed 12 hits, walked three and struck out seven.