Lynsey Duncan is getting close to wrapping up an eight-year run of softball pitching for Gilbert High that's been a staple of why and how the Lady Tigers have been a perennial playoff team in the big school division over that time.She can take a good amount of credit for half of the eight-year run. Duncan was pretty close to the top of her game Thursday afternoon as she pitched Gilbert to a 12-0 victory over Basha in a Division I game at Basha High.

"She's done a good job again this year," Gilbert coach Shaundra Gutierrez said. "She struck out a few more than she usually does today. I think she's been averaging seven or eight game. She was really on today."

Lynsey Duncan, a senior, has been the primary pitcher for Gilbert the past four years. The four years prior, older sister, Michelle, commanded the circle for Gilbert High. Michelle Duncan is currently finishing up a four-year career at Dixie State. Lynsey Duncan sets out for Prescott and Yavapai College this fall. Gilbert has won 19 games or more each of the last seven seasons with the Duncans.

Duncan's pitching has Gilbert on a roll at present. The Lady Tigers opened the season slowly, losing five of seven games in the Lion Country Classic. They were better in last week's Desert Mountain Invitational winning four of seven. Overall this season Gilbert is 11-9, but they are 5-1 in all-important power-ranking games.

Gilbert didn't leave Duncan wanting for offensive support. Her teammates collected 19 hits, including five or six infield hits. Seventeen of the 19 were singles. One would have thought Duncan might have lost focus in the middle of the game with a 6-0 lead. Not the case.

After giving up a single to Basha leadoff hitter Brooke Breland in the bottom of the first and an infield hit by Abby Andersen to open the second, Duncan went on to retire the final 18 batters in a row. She struck out the side in the second and fourth and amassed all her Ks between the second and sixth. Duncan struck out every Basha starter but one.

Leading the way offensively for Gilbert was senior Emma Ocker with a 5-for-5 effort. Duncan helped out with four hits and Marissa Ibarra-Palomo added three. MacKenzie Peterson  had three RBI and Ocker, Dani Bartholf and Alex Lecometros had two RBI apiece.

Basha 8-9 overall, 2-2 prg has struggled of late. After posting a 5-2 record in the Dorado Classic in Tucson to open the season, they are 3-6 since and won just one game at Desert Mountain's Invite.