By Don Ketchum

From just about any angle, it would appear that the softball team from Phoenix Thunderbird would have Phoenix Paradise Valley’s number.

That number would be 1 – as in the top spot in Class 4A Division II power points – especially after Thunderbird defeated the host Trojans 5-1 on Thursday (April 14). It was the second time Thunderbird has emerged triumphant over PV this season.

But at 14-9, Thunderbird, sixth in power points entering Thursday, has a ways to go. Chiefs coach Steve Gurule said his team is playing very well as the regular season enters the home stretch. He wants it to continue that way.

“We always seem to get off to a slow start and then play a lot better toward the end of the season,’’ he said.

This year has been no different. The Chiefs lost five games in the Deer Valley-Sandra Day O’Connor Softball Festival last month and were 6-8 at one point. Part of that was due to the fact that Thunderbird’s top pitcher, Kari Hall, was out due to illness.

Hall defeated Paradise Valley (16-4) the first time and was in the circle again on Thursday. She gave up five hits, and the Trojans’ run scored on an error in the sixth inning.

The key point for her came one inning earlier with Thunderbird holding a 3-0 lead. Hall retired the first two batters, but gave up a single and then threw the ball away at first base after fielding a tapper. With runners on second and third, she escaped by getting a ground ball to second base.

Much like San Francisco Giants pitcher Tim Lincecum, Hall has a slight build but generates a lot of momentum on her pitches with good mechanics.

“She weighs 100 pounds soaking wet, but she gives everything she’s got on every pitch,’’ Gurule said. “She has good speed, but she also has good movement. We feel she is one of the top pitchers in the state.’’

Paradise Valley’s Mariah Valencia also is a tough pitcher. Despite giving up five runs on Thursday, she pitched well.

“She is a very good pitcher, but we felt we could score if we put the ball in play and found the gaps. That’s what we did,’’ Gurule said.

Thunderbird scored a run in the second inning and added two in the fifth on singles by Caitlin Johnson and Allison Starkweather.

After PV pulled to within 3-1 in the sixth, the Chiefs got two big insurance runs in the top of the seventh on hits by Johnson and Starkweather.