TAYLORSVILLE — Once the pitch flew, it was already over.
Taylorsville rode the arm of its ace, Katie Greenberg, to a dominating 13-1, five-inning win over Herriman at Taylorsville High School on Tuesday afternoon.
"Katie is getting better now every game. The first time Herriman hit her very well," said Taylorsville coach Rich Kaelin. "This time she placed the ball very well and her rise ball was working, but her change wasn't. She hasn't pitched a complete game yet, so she's really working on it."
In the first inning, Greenberg fanned three batters with only 12 pitches.
In the bottom half of the inning, Taylorsville first baseman Aaliyah Valenzuela — the second batter in the lineup — connected on a pitch that was left high in the zone and sent it sailing over the right-field fence.
Two batters later, Karlee Jensen hit an RBI rope into left field, quickly followed by Dani Ahlstorm's two-run single to push the lead to 4-0.
Moments after Erin Romero hit a dart over the center-field fence, and before Herriman was even able to get two outs, the Warriors had built a 6-0 cushion.
"One of the reasons we played well (is) 'cause we respect them. We know that they hit the ball very, very well. I told them these are the teams that you don't want to have a letdown on," Kaelin said. "I was really proud of my team. The kids are playing well. I think everyone is feeding off each other and helping each other out."
Greenberg continued much of the same the following inning, striking out two of three batters she faced. Greenberg wound up going 32?3 innings without giving up a hit.
"She's a big, strong girl, hits the ball well and takes control. She has the mentality it takes in sports," stated Kaelin. "As a sophomore, I put her in and said go do this and she had the toughness to do it. She's very strong mentality, and when she's focused she's great."
Valenzuela started the offensive onslaught in the second inning with another RBI single, and Greenberg put the icing on the cake when she blasted one to the cheap seats in left field to give T-Ville a 9-0 lead.
Email: tphibbs@desnews.com