Duane Dickson’s Sidewinder’s team spent last summer playing softball in Topeka. But after the season ended, he decided the capital city wasn’t the best place for his team to compete.

“Topeka girls eat softballs for breakfast, lunch and dinner,” Dickson said.

The Sidewinders lost every game but in one during their stint in the Topeka league. That prompted Dickson to move his squad to Lawrence for this summer’s softball league and by the looks of things it may have been a good decision. The Sidewinders took out the Teal Tornadoes 9-4 in a Lawrence Girls Fast Pitch Association game July 10th at Holcom Sports Complex.

In the top of the first, Sidewinder leadoff hitter, Abby Mott, was tagged out at first base after a great effort. The next three Sidewinders reached safely to load the bases with only one out. The Sidewinders were unable to get those runs home, however, as two straight outs ended the inning.

Tornado leadoff hitter, Desiree Richmond, led off the bottom of the first with a pop-up to center field. Sidewinder Kelsey Leinmiller-Renick saved a hit by making the catch. Tornado Jordan Armente was next to hit and drew a walk from Sidewinder pitcher Sierra Dickson. Kristin Haskell, the next batter, was hit by a pitch. She stole second and third base, while Armente came to the plate to put the Tornadoes up 1-0. Haskell was left on base as Dickson struck out the next two batters.

The Sidewinders weren’t in a panic mode, though, even as the team hadn’t practiced much throughout the season. Dickson said he didn’t want to overload his team with practices when they had other things going on during the summer.

“We’ve only practiced three times this summer,” he said. “If they want to they can.”

The lack of summer practice hardly seemed to show in the Sidewinders’ next at bat. In the top of the second, they scored five runs to erase the brief Tornado lead.

The Tornadoes, however, came together in the inning after the Sidewinders had scored four of their five runs. With two outs, the team came to the mound in an effort to stay positive. They circled up, put their hands together and yelled, “Hold ’em.”

“Sometimes we cheer and say chants to pump everyone up,” Tornado catcher Ashley Morris said.

The Tornadoes got things going again in their half of the inning batter as their first batter, Korrissa Gellespie, was hit by a pitch. The next batter was a different story. Tornado Kaylen Peterson hit one of Dickson’s pitches right in the strike zone.

“I usually don’t let strikes go by,” Peterson said.

The line drive went right back at Dickson, who tried to make the play.

“I just reacted to the ball,” Dickson said. “It hit me in the wrong hand, my pitching hand. It didn’t hurt at first and then I got a little dizzy.”

After the hit Peterson had mixed feelings about her success.

“It was good that I got to first base because I thought the pitcher caught it,” Peterson said. “It’s sad it hit the pitcher.”

Peterson and Gellespie scored off her line drive, which brought the Tornadoes back within striking distance, 5-3.

In the top of the third, the Sidewinders were held scoreless despite a solid single.

The Tornadoes took advantage of this no-run inning as they batted in the bottom of the third. Desiree Richmond doubled and later scored. It seemed as if more runs would be scored but one batter made a mistake not often seen in softball. Kristin Haskell didn’t touch first base as she rounded to second.

“It’s kind of hard to miss a base, it’s like this long,” Haskell said as she gestured with her hands.

Richmond later scored to make it a 5-4 ball game, but it would be as close as the Tornadoes would get as the Sidewinders scored four runs in the fourth inning to seal the win.