T-wolves' offense overachieves

OREM — With two of the state's top softball pitchers facing off, the Timpanogos Timberwolves approached Thursday's second-round playoff game figuring that scratching out one or two runs would likely be enough to advance to next week's 5A tournament in the winner's bracket.

In the early innings the T-Wolves were masterful at manufacturing those runs. But once the ice was broken, their bats exploded for an 8-0 win over the Kearns Cougars. The T-Wolves pounded out eight hits off Cougar ace Kara Bendt, and three of those hits were for extra bases. Timpanogos coach Frank Bramall said his team will need to continue that hitting form to be successful next week.

"Hitting really is the name of the game in softball, because all the teams have good pitching and good defense," Bramall said.

But few teams, if any, have a pitcher the caliber of the one the T-Wolves put on the hill each game. In earning her 12th shutout of the season, ace Allie Bramwell allowed only two hits and struck out 12. That unearned run the T-Wolves scored in the first inning was enough for victory, but it took a lot of pressure off Bramwell once those insurance runs were posted.

"I told the girls that one run might win this thing," Bramall said. "And once we got that run we just needed to play defense."

The T-Wolves played flawless defense, fielding with perfection every grounder and bunt the Cougars dropped down. Kearns' best scoring chance came in third with a runner on and one out, but the T-Wolves escaped without damage when Bramwell snagged a line drive and doubled up the runner.

Even though the T-Wolves did hit the ball well, the Cougars also gave them plenty of help by committing six miscues. Two Kearns throwing errors resulted in Timpanogos' first run. The T-Wolves went up 2-0 in the fourth when Megan Bishop, who reached on a walk and then stole second, scored on a wild pitch. The floodgates opened for the T-Wolves in the fifth, when Bramwell walked and Chelsey Brown reached on another Kearns error. Tajia Law made the Cougars pay when she smacked a two-run single up the middle. She then scored when Kearns mishandled another throw on a bunt.

Chelsey Laird hit a one-out single to right in the sixth and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. She was pushed home when Bramwell flipped a two-out bloop double over third base. Brown followed with a triple to the left-field fence. She scored Timpanogos' final run on another wild pitch.

---

E-mail: jimr@desnews.com