Tolleson’s bats were quiet through six innings, when it trailed 6-0.

But the Wolverines, under coach Fred Ramirez, tend to battle until their final at bats. That’s exactly what the Wolverines did Monday, when they almost completed a rally to remember.

They just ran out of momentum and hits in their 6-4 home loss to the young and talented Verrado Vipers. Sophomore pitcher Jill Ryan was cruising and didn’t allow an extra base hit until the bottom of the seventh inning, when Tolleson opened with six consecutive hits to score four runs.

But, with the bases loaded with Wolverines, Ryan then regained her confidence and command to get the final three outs in her complete game victory. The sophomore improved to 6-1 with 41 strikeouts in as many innings.

“Learning lessons,” Verrado’s 10-year coach Tee Hampton said. “It was a good learning lesson, knowing we can’t just walk in and just assume that teams are going to lay down.”

Kylie Bates, one of only four seniors on Verrado’s roster, wound up with the game-winning hit.

With the bases loaded in the bottom of the sixth, the left-handed hitter appeared ready to bunt during her key two-out at bat. But Bates then pulled the bat back before slapping a hit to left center to bring home three big insurance runs.

The senior (4 RBIs) was eventually tagged out while attempting to slide in for a triple, but the damage was done. One of the runners who scored to put Verrado up 6-0 was junior pinch hitter Maddie Allen.

Hampton preaches to his players to embrace their role. Allen’s role was to cheer for her teammates at the start before her number was called in the sixth.

“Coming off the bench is one of the hardest things to do, but Maddie came in and got a great hit,” Hampton said.

A couple of first inning errors and a Bates RBI third inning ground out allowed Verrado (8-1) to take 3-0 lead by the third.

Tolleson (13-3) didn’t secure the start it wanted to its big week, but Ramirez was pleased with how his team responded near the end of Monday’s non-region game. The Wolverines will play 6A region mate Shadow Ridge twice this week in a series that may determine the West Valley Region champ.

“To fight back (Monday), it gives us a positive going into (Tuesday’s game),” Ramirez said.