photography / Troy Boman Pitcher Lauren Folta fired a one-hitter in Tooele’s 9-0 victory over Bear River last Thursday. The Buffs face Grantsville today. Pitcher Lauren Folta fired a one-hitter in Tooele’s 9-0 victory over Bear River last Thursday. The Buffs face Grantsville today.

by Mark Watson

SPORTS EDITOR

The top-ranked 4A softball team will get a chance to sweep the top two 3A teams in a span of four days.

Tooele steam-rolled former 3A nemesis Bear River 9-0 on Thursday and will play county-rival Grantsville today.

The Bears are ranked number one in 3A and Grantsville is ranked number two.

Bear River must be glad to see the Buffs jump to 4A because Tooele has stolen much the Bears' thunder in softball over the past few years.

The Bears won 3A titles in 2001 and 2002, but after that Tooele won four of the last five 3A crowns with Canyon View sneaking in a championship in 2006.

On Thursday Tooele showed how far it has separated itself from the Bears.

After leading by one run after three innings, Tooele blew the game wide open with four runs in the third inning and four more in the fifth.

Tooele's ace pitcher Lauren Folta seemed to get stronger as the game progressed and allowed only one infield hit while striking out 13.

"We've always had battles with Bear River. That's the best we've ever played against them," said Tooele coach Barry Pitt. "They're a strong team. They could play with any 4A team."

Tooele lead-off hitter Mattie Snow was in the zone on Thursday. The shortstop went four-for-four from the plate with two triples, a double and a single.

"Matti has been our best hitter the last two years. She leads the team in hitting percentage and on-base percentage. She's a good contact hitter," the coach said.

Snow singled in her first at bat, went to second on an error, to third on a passed ball and then came home on an infield hit to ring up Tooele's first run.

Snow started a four-run third inning with a lead-off triple to the left-center field gap. Whitney Griffth walked and Kelsey Mendenhall reached first base to load the bases.

Brittany Gonzales then ripped a shot down the left-field line to score all three runners.

Later in the inning with two outs, Whitney Holt singled to left to bring in Gonzales for Tooele's fifth run of the game.

Tooele's first four hitters in the fifth inning all scored runs. Gonzales scored first and with Flota and Holt on base, Marissa Mendenhall drove the ball over the left field fence to put the Buffs up 9-0.

Snow hit her second triple of the game in the fifth with two outs, but the Buffs could not bring her home.

After giving up a hit in the fourth, Folta retired eight straight hitters, hit a batter and then retired four more to end the game.

Tooele Schedule

Tooele has re-scheduled its games with 5A powers Taylorsville and Riverton. The Buffs will face Taylorsville at Taylorsville on Wed, May 7 at 3:30 p.m. Tooele will host Riverton on Friday, May 9 at 3:30 p.m.

mwatson@tooeletranscript.com