After suffering heartbreak in the state tournament last year, Ridgeline redeemed itself, sweeping Desert Hills in the 4A state softball championship series and winning Game 2 by the score of 8-2. By winning the championship, Ridgeline has now won the state title two out of the last three years.
Ridgeline was led by catcher Anne Wallace, who went 2 for 3 on the day with a double and a home run while also scoring a run.
In the circle, starting pitcher Brielle Gardiner came in clutch in the most important game of the season by pitching a complete game and striking out six batters throughout.
“It’s hard, super hard to win a championship. I’m incredibly proud of them. This is one of those things where life meets experience. Today you saw adversity, you saw people overcome, you saw winning, happiness and sorrow. It was a lot of fun and I really enjoy coaching these kids,” said Ridgeline head coach Michael Anderson, who was understandably emotional after the win.
Just like they had done in Game 1, Ridgeline wasted no time in getting out in front of Desert Hills. Ridge scored on a Desert Hills error that allowed Anne Wallace to score from third. Not soon after, Ridgeline doubled their lead with a single by Ava Howell that scored Ellie Pond.
Desert Hills was able to do some damage offensively during the middle innings and take advantage of some Ridgeline miscues. In the top of the third inning, Desert Hills Riley Greene scored on a sac fly and Bailey Lee scored on a wild pitch to tie the game up at 2.
It was around this time that Wallace took matters into her own hands for Ridgeline. Stepping up to the plate in the fifth inning with a runner on base, Wallace belted a shot to deep center field, the ball barely clearing the fence for a two-run home run.
“All I was thinking was that I’ve been in this position before. I just got to put the ball in play and my team will follow-up behind me, that’s all I was thinking about. I honestly didn’t know if it was going to go over, so I just took off running as fast as I could but I’m just so happy it went over,” said Wallace.
Ridgeline created some much-needed breathing room in the sixth inning. They scored four runs in the inning, highlighted once again by Wallace. At the plate for the second straight inning, Wallace drills a line drive to left field that reached the wall, scoring two runs and breaking the game wide open.
Anderson could not say enough good things about Wallace and her ability to put her team on her back when they needed it most.
“Anne Wallace comes in right after Desert Hills scores the two runs in the top of the fourth and she said, ‘It’s OK, we got this.’ That’s what we got with a kid like that. She comes in calm and puts together the type of incredible performance that she put together today; she carried us today.”