A dominant performance on the mound and a sharp defensive effort behind her carried Widefield to a commanding victory over The Classical Academy on Tuesday, extending one of the more lopsided rivalries in local prep softball.
Widefield beat The Classical Academy 7-0 at home, with the Gladiators' junior pitcher allowing one hit and earning 13 strikeouts — her second game this season with 10 or more strikeouts. The victory moved Widefield to 13-0 all-time against the 3A No. 2-ranked Titans.
The lone blemish on the pitching line came in the fourth inning, but the Gladiators' defense erased the threat before any damage was done. A Titan batter hit a double to reach scoring position while Widefield led 2-0, and the following at-bat another Titan reached first on an error, giving the Titans a chance to tie the game or take the lead. Instead, the next batter sent a shot into center field, but Susy Salvidrez bolted to the ball to make the catch for the out, then recognized a baserunner had left early, fired to second, and completed a double play to put two outs on the board.
"I knew she was going to hit the ball because she's a really good hitter," Salvidrez said. "I was ready for everything and I knew I could make it to the ball."
Widefield coach Nick Leonard credited both the pitching and the team's collective resolve. "Defense wins games and I keep telling the girls the other team can't beat us if they don't score," Leonard said. "When Liv is on, there's nobody better. She's taken a step forward this year trusting the defense behind her to make plays."
Offensively, the Gladiators built their lead steadily throughout the contest. Widefield went up 3-0 after an RBI double sent a runner home, then tacked on two runs apiece in the fifth and sixth innings to finish with seven runs for the game. One Gladiator finished with a game-high three RBIs, including two in the bottom of the fifth on an RBI single.
"This was a big win and they play us tough every year," Leonard said. "They have talented pitchers and great hitters. We played perfectly and I couldn't ask for more."
Widefield now prepares for a home-and-home series against Falcon, 4A's No. 1-ranked team. "They're a very talented team and they have a great program over there," Leonard said. "They've been building for a while and we knew Falcon was coming. We prepare hard all week so when we come out on game day, we can do everything we have to do and see where our talent takes us from there."
How Widefield fares in the upcoming two-game set against top-ranked Falcon will be the next test for a Gladiators squad that has shown both pitching depth and defensive reliability through the early part of the season.