Gilbert High roared through two invitationals and the first quarter of its power-ranking schedule with the look of a bonafide contender in Division I baseball.

Then last week happened. An overall mark of 11-3 and 4-0 in power-ranking games dipped to 11-6 and 4-3, respectively. Three power-ranking game losses by scores of 9-5, 13-8 and 15-0 meant a time for reflection for the Tigers.

Their first response to those losses came Tuesday afternoon and it restored some confidence. Gilbert cranked out 17 hits (10 for extra bases) off five Basha pitchers in a 16-7 romp that saw the teams combine for seven home runs at Gilbert High.

"We hade been playing pretty well and our pitching had been very good," Gilbert coach Matt Gutierrez said. "We competed last week. We showed up. We just got our (butts) kicked. I've said all along if our pitching holds up we're going to be all right Our pitching is good out front, but we're not deep."

Basha's pitching also has been solid much of the season. The 16 runs allowed Tuesday were the most all season by nearly double the previous total of nine the Bears allowed to Williams Field.

Gilbert (12-6, 4-3 prg) scored in every inning andbounced back from a 1-0 deficit in the first and 4-1 deficit in the second before pulling away from Basha (10-5, 3-4 prg). The Tigers blasted four home runs -- two each by Dustin Peterson and Travis Goodwin. Goodwin was 4-fof-5 and knocked in three runs. Kaden Tomlinson and Justin Laforce added three hits apiece. Every Gilbert starter scored, eight had at least one RBI and eight had at least one hit. Goodwin's day was as good as any and good news to Gutierrez.

"When we played in the Saguaro (Scottsdale) tournament at to start the season he was mashing," Gutierrez said "He got hit in the back with a pitch in a game and it slowed him down. He missed a week and a half.Today was a good sign for him."

Gilbert starter Tanner Herdt endured a rough beginning, giving up four runs and five hits in the first two inning. He allowed one run after that in his five innings of work, finishing with seven strikeouts. Gilbert , which rallied to tie the game 4-4 after two, sent 10 batters to the plate in the third and scored four times to grab the lead for the first time and for good. The Tigers laced six consecutive hits after the first two batters made out. The RBI went ot Zach Rehmer, Herdt, Manny Tapia and Tomlinson.

Major league scouts got a treat as they got two-for-price-of-one gazing at two of the state's top prospects -- Basha shortstop Jamie Westbrook and Gilbert shortstop Dustin Peterson. Neither disappointed at the plate. Westbrook was 3-for-4 -- a double, two homers and five RBI in the leadoff spot. Peterson went 2-for-3 with a pair of homers, walk and sacrifice fly and totaled four RBI. Basha also got a home run from first baseman James Ziegler in the fifth.

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