While Class 3A softball teams are rejoicing, 4A squads had better be prepared.
Erie, which won 10 of 12 state championships since 3A was formed in 1998, is now a 4A team — and the Tigers aren’t bringing a start-over squad to their new classification.
That much was evident Saturday in the Tigers’ own tournament, the Erie Festival of Champions, when Erie walloped Ralston Valley 8-1 in the final game of the prestigious invitational. Ralston Valley was the 5A runner-up last season and is ranked No. 6 this season.
“This group has been playing together a while, and moving up is something we’ve wanted to do for a long, long time,” Tigers third baseman Sasha Duran said. “It’s exciting for us because we want to show what we’re made of.”
Erie, ranked fifth in the initial 4A poll, went 3-2 in the two-day round-robin event at the Erie Recreation Center, also defeating Pomona and Enid (Okla.) while losing to Oklahoma powers Tuttle and Broken Arrow.
The Tigers (7-2) broke out offensively in support of starter Mariah Bledsoe, the daughter of coach Bob Bledsoe. Mariah is seeking an unprecedented fourth straight state title in the pitching circle.
“I thought Mariah did an outstanding job against their lineup, because I really expected it to be a high-scoring game,” Bob Bledsoe said.
While Erie was receiving several standout performances at the plate — Duran’s 2-for-3, four-RBI outing and leadoff hitter Haley David’s 3-for-4, three-runs-scored performance among them — the Mustangs scuffled somewhat other than shortstop Kelley Reeves’ 3-for-4 showing.
Erie 105 101 0 — 8 11 3
Ralston Valley 000 001 0 — 1 7 2
Erie — David ss 4-3-3-0, Wetsch cf 3-1-0-0, Duran 3b 3-0-2-4, Kovac c 3-1-1-0, Harmon 2b 4-1-1-2, Bledsoe p 2-0-2-1, Nibbe ph 1-0-0-0, Gartrell dh 3-0-0-0, Dias lf 1-0-0-0, Maul 1b 3-0-1-0, Toot ph 1-0-1-0, Ochoa rf 1-2-0-0, Clarke ph 1-0-0-0. Totals 29-8-11-7.
Ralston Valley — Archuleta rf-p 4-0-1-0, McHale cf 4-0-2-0, Towner c 3-0-0-0, Reeves ss 4-1-3-0, Eldredge 3b 2-0-0-0, Strauss p-rf 2-0-0-0, Fallon 2b 3-0-0-1, Hedrick 1b 2-0-1-0, Anderson lf 2-0-0-0, Chritz ph 0-0-0-0. Totals 26-1-7-1.
E — David, Harmon, Duran, Fallon, Reeves. DP — Erie 2. LOB — Erie7, Ralston Valley 9. 2B — Duran, Kovac, Harmon, Hedrick. SB — David. CS — Clarke. SAC — Wetsch, Towner. SF — Duran.
Batteries — Bledsoe and Kovac; Strauss, Archuleta (5) and Towner. W — Bledsoe (7-2). L — Strauss (1-1).
