T-Bird softball shows mercy twice vs. SCC
Jeff Moses
The Mesa Thunderbird softball team obliterated the opposition in their Feb. 15 game with the Scottsdale Artichokes. Angela Arredondo struck first for the T-Birds with a 2-RBI single in the bottom of the first, and the Ladies of Mesa never looked back.
Strong at bats by the T-Birds, and dodgy play in the field by the visitors lead to Mesa jumping out early, which included an RBI single by Carissa Reisinger, which scored Mesa ace Tiffanee Frampton, and 2-RBI bases loaded single by Camille Lopez which with help of an errant throw by Scottsdale third baseman Torrie Elmore left Lopez in scoring position.
The Artichokes escaped giving up 7-runs on the side when Amber Price grounded out to third to end the inning.
With Frampton on the bump the Thunderbirds looked fierce in the field, and with the exception of a hiccup or two played a rather flawless game against Scottsdale who was described as looking “a little weak” by one of their own fans who wished to remain nameless for the sake of his daughter on the team.
The Thunderbirds added five more runs before Scottsdale pulled their pitcher Kelsi Redding in favor of Colette Morris during the 4th inning. With the pitching change came a double play for the Chokes, but nothing more as the Thunderbirds scored two more runs by the end of the fifth to mercy rule the visiting Artichokes and end the game 13-0.
Coach Malgradi said “It was a good win we needed to get a big one under our belts” to go with his teams number 9 national ranking and 3-3 pregame record.
“Our best softball will be played in April and May”stated Malgradi before going out and trouncing the Artichokes again in another mercy rule blow-out 10-0, in the second game of Tuesdays double header.
The Second game was pitched by Jamie Pollack, who also had a homerun in the game, as did outfielder Carissa Reisinger in the same inning.
The Thunderbird softball team is currently 5-3 going into their next game at the Palm Springs Tournament in Palm Springs Ca.
Coach Malgradi doesn’t feel any added pressure from the high ranking his team recieved stating “I put it on us” in regards to the pressures of winning.
He is fully confident in his teams’ abilities and expects them to be competeing later in the year for a national title.
