High-scoring affair/ Widefield holds off Mesa Ridge, 17-12

Widefield conquered Mesa Ridge 17-12 on its turf in a grueling girls softball game Saturday.

After explosive innings of nine and 10 runs each left the teams tied, Widefield broke loose with three runs in the sixth and two more in the seventh to pull away.

Mesa Ridge negated Widefield's 10-run fourth inning with a nine- run fifth inning. The tie was short-lived, however, with Widefield launching another attack in the top of the sixth, bringing in three runs for a 15-12 lead.

In the top of the seventh, the Gladiators scored two more runs. The scoring trend came to an end, however. The Grizzlies were unable to score again, and Widefield won.

"We wanted to get hitting again," Widefield coach Randy Jones said. "We're playing the only other school in our district, and we wanted to start off on a good foot."

Jones said the Gladiators are more mentally in the game when they are chanting and rooting for their teammates.

"They do that every game," he said. "Some of (the chants) they picked up from other teams, and others they kind of just made up on their own."

Neither team scored in the first inning. Once the early butterflies disappeared, Mesa Ridge came alive and the Grizzlies took an early lead in the bottom of the second.

Christine Dibene hit a single and stole two bases, putting her in scoring position. Rachel Hunke's double drove in Dibene to score the first run. Liz Lawson and Gina Harris also scored for Mesa Ridge in the bottom of the second.

Widefield came back in the top of the third with two runs scored by Shandi Gilmer and Charlene Berg, making it 3-2.

The Gladiators had kept up a rowdy stream of chants up to this point to keep their excitement going, and their enthusiasm paid off. In the top of the fourth, things really heated up with another 10 runs, due in part to several errors by Mesa Ridge.

Battered but unbowed, Mesa Ridge answered Widefield's challenge with another nine runs in the bottom of the fifth, also due in part to errors made by Widefield, making it 12-12.

- Jonathan Clark may be reached at 636-0250 or gtsports@gazette.com

@CUTLINE: Kelly Walker/The Gazette - TIME ON HER HANDS: Widefield third baseman Jodi Tekubie takes a breather between innings of the Gladiators' 17-12 victory over Mesa Ridge on Saturday.

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