Defending 6A champion Riverton showed why it’s yet again a state title threat on Wednesday against the 4A defending champion Ridgeline. The Silverwolves got ahead early and held off a late Riverhawks’ push to beat Ridgeline 6-4 in a non-region matchup. It wasn’t the Silverwolves’ prettiest win this year, but Wednesday’s win showed resilience that they will need in order to win consecutive 6A titles.
Riverton never trailed and dominated early with a quick three-out defensive sequence. The Silverwolves then did exactly what they needed by getting on base and then letting Grace Leary hit a home run and earned three RBIs. After the first inning, Riverton held a strong 3-0 lead.
Ridgeline scored a run in the second inning, but Riverton kept piling on the points in the second and third innings. First it was Londyn Rentmeister who got home after a fielding error by Ridgeline. Then it was Baylee Martinez and Jaydan Bushman who each hit home runs in the third inning. The game was quickly getting out of Ridgeline’s hand as Riverton took a 6-1 lead after three innings.
“We have high expectations for our kids, and time and time again they show their greatness,” said Riverton head coach Whitley Haimin.
Despite the hot start, things started to fall apart for Riverton in the fourth inning. Ridgeline started to rally with multiple singles, with Kylie Jorgensen and Olivia Nielson each getting runners home to bring the score within 6-3. After struggling early, Riverhawks’ pitcher Avery Lamont found the strike zone more consistently and kept Riverton’s batters off base.
“I think (Ridgeline) took full advantage of the strike zone,” Haimin said. “They’re coached really well. Like I said, I think they took advantage of the strike zone and then we didn’t do our best at controlling the controllables. We’re a really heavy hitting team and when we have kids striking out looking that’s not normal for us.”
Ridgeline then pulled the score even closer in the sixth inning with Anne Wallace recording a RBI single. The Riverhawks defense also kept executing well and got out of the sixth inning with a double-play to keep the score within 6-4.
With Ridgeline up to bat in the seventh inning, Riverton swapped in freshman Kaelyn Flynn at pitcher. Flynn more than delivered for the Silverwolves, striking out two Ridgline batters to secure the tight win.
“Kaelyn Flynn, our freshman, she came in and closed that out and to be able to come in that last inning and really close it out is absolutely awesome,” Haimin said. “(Peyton Sanchez) did an awesome job throwing those other six innings. (Ridgeline) has have some really awesome players, their speeds are different so to be able to switch it up at that last thing and close it out, we’re just really proud of them.”
“Overall, I’m proud they were able to to hold on to it and finish it out. I think we could have done a lot of things, a lot better. But our kids held on, and I’m always proud of them.”
The win pushes Riverton to a 14-1 overall record, and the Silverwolves currently sit at the top of Region 2 with a perfect 4-0 record.