SOFTBALL: ANTELOPE VALLEY BACK IN THE WORLD SERIES.

Byline: ERIK BOAL

Special to the Daily News

PALMDALE -- It took the leadership of Alaina Devenny, the fearless approach of Shannon Barnhill and the perseverance of Vanessa House for the Antelope Valley All-Stars to once again experience the exhilaration of reaching the Big League Softball World Series.

House's infield single with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning scored Shannon Bailey from third and Devenny added an insurance run on a throwing error by Mesa, Ariz., which wound up being the difference in the deciding game of the Western Regional tournament championship series.

Barnhill then retired the side in order in the seventh, capping an impressive complete-game effort in Antelope Valley's 3-1 victory at Marie Kerr Park, securing a fourth consecutive trip to Kalamazoo, Mich., for the local 18-under standouts.

"They played a great game, but at the right time we stepped up and they didn't and that was the difference," said Barnhill, who scattered six hits -- three over the final six innings -- to secure Antelope Valley's ninth World Series appearance in 12 years.

"We were praying the whole game, hoping for a break. So, when it finally came, we were very happy. Vanessa may be young, but she doesn't play like it. I knew she would step up."

After striking out her first two at-bats, House received a pep talk from teammate Kristin Ware before facing Arizona's Krissy Barrett.

The first-year all-star responded by hitting a ground ball in the hole between shortstop and third base, forcing Krista Hicks to rush her throw to first. The speedy House beat the throw, and after Bailey scored, Devenny -- who extended the inning with a clutch double -- raced home when the ball got past first baseman Mallory Shepard.

"Striking out twice and then coming back and getting that hit felt great," said House, who was taken out of the first game Wednesday after being struck by a flyball in left field. "I'm just excited to go (to Michigan). I know it's going to be big."

After Arizona (4-3) scored in its first at-bat on a double by C.J. Norvell, big plays became the norm for Antelope Valley (6-1). The District 51 representative escaped further damage in the first on an inning-ending double play, then survived a bases-loaded, one-out situation in the fourth on outstanding defensive plays by Taylor Pleasant and Candice Miller.

Devenny, the lone holdover from the 2005 World Series championship team, collected her second double of the game to set the stage for House's heroics.

"I was very nervous. I had been popping the ball up the entire tournament and I was just hoping for a line drive somewhere," Devenny said. "There it was, my chance to get us where we want to go, and it felt really good."

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