Timberview freshman shuts down Mansfield in softball

By Josh Bowe

Special to the Star-Telegram

MANSFIELD — Mansfield Timberview freshman pitcher Mariah Denson recovered from giving up a seventh-inning solo home run and struck out the next three batters to end the game and give the Wolves a 2-1 win over crosstown rival Mansfield on Tuesday at Mansfield High.

Until Tigers senior catcher Robin Conley blasted Denson’s 3-2 offering over the left-field wall, Mansfield hadn’t shown much life.

Thanks to Denson’s quick recovery, that momentum didn’t last.

“She has a very short memory,” Timberview coach Donya Mooney said. “She’s a competitor and we’re lucky to have her. She’s done a great job with this team, and all of them play so well together.”

Denson looked nothing like a freshman making her first start against a district rival. She finished with 11 strikeouts and allowed just two walks.

Mansfield (14-4, 3-1 District 7-5A) collected just two hits against Denson, with the first coming in the sixth inning. The Tigers couldn’t get a rally going against Denson, with a runner reaching second base just once on the night.

“All my pitches were working,” Denson said. “I had my team behind me. I wouldn’t have won it without them.”

Timberview’s defense played a clean game with no errors. The same couldn’t be said for Mansfield, which had a couple of errors and came up short on a couple of plays.

Mansfield’s defense helped Timberview (11-4, 4-0) get on the scoreboard first. In the fourth inning, senior outfielder Brittany Ponder led off with a single before ending up at third base with two outs after a Mansfield error.

Junior infielder Mayan Meza Tovar then delivered with a single to right field, giving Timberview a 1-0 lead.

The Wolves got an insurance run in the sixth inning when senior infielder Ashley Tharp’s bunt attempt rolled through the infield, allowing junior outfielder Baylea Higgs to put Timberview up 2-0.

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