Softball: Red Mtn. unleashes on Chandler

March 26, 2019 by Les Willsey, AZPreps365


Red Mountain's Taylor Trowbridge records a strikeout of Laila Hasan in her five-inning one-hitter tossed against Chandler on Tuesday. (AzPreps365 photo).

Red Mountain softball coach Rich Hamilton has been lobbying for more offense and Tuesday he got his wish.

The Mountain Lions stroked 12 hits and broke out quickly with a grand slam in posting a 14-1 triumph over Chandler in a 6A non-region game at Chandler.

Red Mountain (8-5, 4-2 power-ranking games), ranked No. 8 in initial 6A power-rankings released Tuesday, was on top of its game in this one. The first-inning grand slam was courtesy of Alayna Hicks and a second homer in the fifth was off the bat of Kayden Bullock to complete the Mountain Lions' scoring.

In recent games against some of 6A's top teams, Red Mountain got the pitching it needed just not the runs.

"We hit today," Hamilton said. "We looked confident, and we had good approaches. Everybody chipped in."

In the circle for Red Mountain was freshman Taylor Trowbridge. Hamilton has been impressed with her ability and was relieved to see her get support -- in abundance.

Trowbridge took a perfect game to the fifth, but surrendered a hit to Chandler's Sydney Babik leading off and Babik was moved around and scored to ruin the shutout bid. 

"That's three good outings by her," Hamilton said. "She's pitched great against some great teams. As a freshman coming in she's had the ability to keep hitters off-balance. She did that today and threw strikes on both sides of the plate."

Hicks led the hit parade going 2 for 4 adding an RBI double to cap a five-RBI day. Bullock was 1-for 2 with and scored three times reaching in all her appearances either via walk, error or HR. Echo Mattiello, Makayla Donahoo and Trowbridge added two hits each. 

No. 11 Chandler (10-6, 5-3 prg), which played very well in securing a third-place finish in the gold bracket at the Desert Mountain Invitational 10 days ago, has struggled the last two outings.

Prior to this one last Friday, the Wolves were humbled, 17-2, by Tucson High.

"Tucson hit the ball and pounded us," Chandler coach JanaRae Slayton said. "Today we gave up a lot of hits again, but we didn't play well in the field. It felt worse than the Tucson game."

Chandler will need to rebound quickly with a back-to-back region games Thursday and Friday with Premier Region rival and No. 3 Perry

Red Mountain's Alyna Hicks is all smiles as she heads home after a 1st-inning grand slam (AzPreps365 photo)