Since the start of the season, the Cape Coral Tar Heels have stressed the importance of getting the entire group to come together.

The big problem came midseason when an injury to a key player prevented the Senior League softball team from being at full strength. The loss of Heather Gillions hurt offensively but also defensively at first base.

“We struggled halfway though after losing (Gillions),” coach Chris England said.

The team is together now and hitting their stride. The Tar Heels defeated the Cape Coral Wildcats 5-2 Sunday at Burton Field to capture the 2009 Senior League County Tournament.

Pitcher Maddy Peres worked all seven innings for a complete game. She struck out 10, allowing two hits and two unearned runs.

The Tar Heels (14-5) began their three-game tournament run Friday with a 14-0 win over the Fort Myers Glory and continued with a 13-7 victory over the Cape Coral Noles Saturday.

Their hardfought victory Sunday came against the Wildcats (14-3), who were the top-ranked team based on regular-season performance.

“It’s exhilarating, going all the way to the championship,” Peres said. “We had to battle.”

The Tar Heels took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second, facing experienced pitcher Meghan Sullivan, but hoped to come away with more after loading the bases.

Kaitlynn Grubb provided an RBI single for the Tar Heels, but with bases loaded the Wildcats made two sharp defensive plays. Megan Dubay caught a line drive at second base and threw to first for the double play, and shortstop Allison West snared a line drive to keep it 1-0.

The Wildcats made some sparkling defensive plays throughout the game. Catcher Amber Plaza threw out a runner trying to steal second and Karissa Dubay threw out a runner at the plate from left field.

The Wildcats found it difficult to score, though, against Peres and the Tar Heels.

They got on the board in the bottom of the third. West reached on a bunt single and advanced into scoring position because of a throwing error. Another error on a ball hit by Rylee Manetta, scored West and tied it 1-1.

It remained that way until the top of the fifth when Emily England cracked an RBI single just inside the third-base line to score Darian Leschewski, making it 2-1. Later in the inning, Jana Way hit a pop fly to shallow right field which resulted in an over-the-shoulder catch by Joslynn Bailey, but Gillions scored from third to make it 3-1.

Each time the lead tightened up, the Tar Heels created opportunities and cashed in.

“We had to keep at it the whole game,” Emily England said. “We had to keep trying to score.”

In the bottom of the sixth, Bailey delivered a two-out RBI single for the Wildcats, which scored Amber Plaza, cutting it to 3-2.

The Tar Heels answered again, though, in the top of the seventh. After England walked and Peres singled, Way hit a grounder in the infield but a throwing error allowed two runs to come in. Peres retired the Wildcats in order in the seventh.

Sullivan pitched all seven for the Wildcats, recording six strikeouts.

The Tar Heels got help offensively from Gillions and Ashleigh Weaver. They both went 2-for-3.

Tar Heels 010 020 2 – 5 9 4

Wildcats 001 001 0 – 2 2 2

W – Peres. L – Sullivan.

n The Cape Coral Canes advanced to the championship game of the Little League Softball County Tournament. The Canes face the Fort Myers Bomb Squad Monday at 7 p.m. at Fleishman Park.

The Canes defeated the Fort Myers Explosion 4-2 Sunday, while the Bomb Squad knocked off the Cape Coral Noles 13-3.

The Bomb Squad scored 13 runs in both tournament victories.