Best effort: PG sophomore leads Vikings past T-wolves

PLEASANT GROVE — After a pregame ceremony honoring the outgoing seniors, it was a standout sophomore who made the biggest difference for Pleasant Grove's softball team Tuesday afternoon.

Pitcher Torrey Best had a solid game on the mound in addition to belting a fifth-inning, in-the-park grand slam, powering her side to a 6-5 win over Timpanogos. With the victory, the Vikings finished at 7-3 in region play, putting themselves in position for a possible second-place finish in Region 4.

Best was the major difference in the game, as her pitching kept the T-wolves within range before Pleasant Grove's fifth-inning explosion.

"Torrey Best threw a heck of a ball game; they didn't hit the ball very hard, and she just threw to her spots like we want her to," said Vikings coach Kale Gillman. "She probably deserves a game ball, hitting like that and pitching as well as she did. It's a great win."

Best gave up just two hits through the first four innings, but Timpanogos still led 1-0 thanks to a third-inning RBI double from the T-wolves' Whitney Rode.

Rode would dial up another stand-up double in the top of the fifth, this time driving two runs across the plate and giving her side a 3-0 lead, along with all the momentum. To that point, Timpanogos pitcher Shiri Stevens had kept the Viking bats in check, and the T-wolves looked to be in prime position to lock up the win.

In the bottom of the fifth, however, Stevens gave up a single, a walk and an RBI double to Pleasant Grove's Lea Bell to open the floodgates. The Vikings' Amber Nielsen followed with an RBI single of her own, pulling the Vikings to within one at 3-2.

A walk on Whitney Giles loaded the bases for Best, who took the 2-2 pitch and sent a line drive high and down the third-base line. After the fielder lost the handle, Best rounded third and slid into home, good for an inside-the-park grand slam and a 6-3 lead.

"When I hit it, I could tell it was going to be a good hit," she said. "I had a good connection, but I didn't expect that."

Timpanogos rallied the following inning, however, as Kelsey Belliston's line drive double up the middle drove two runs across the plate, putting runners on second and third. Best left the game, and relief pitcher Kayloni Mikelauski came on to retire the side and end the T-wolves' threat.

"That's why you have two good pitchers, so you can bring in another pitcher in to finish the game off," Gillman said.

The Vikings, tied with Timpanogos in the loss column, must now await the results of Thursday's matchup between Timpanogos and Spanish Fork to determine final playoff seeding.

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