After surviving a shaky third inning, freshman Molly Sander tossed four scoreless frames as the Lady Chiefs took third place in the I-70 Conference Tournament. (Chris Allen/Democrat-News) [Click to enlarge]

ALMA -- The Santa Fe softball team may not have been able to maintain their streak of I-70 Conference Tournament titles, but they didn't finish the meet empty-handed.

The Lady Chiefs used a nine-run third inning to pull away from Crest Ridge in Saturday's third-place game at Alma, 14-5. The Lady Cougars, who won the earlier meeting between the teams, 7-5, were without their No. 1 pitcher -- junior Taylor Hazel -- according to head coach Edwin Bridges, a Marshall High grad.

Defense was raggedy when the game began at 9 a.m., Santa Fe scoring two unearned runs in the top of the first inning and the Crest Ridge picking up one during its turn.

Junior Katie Peters doubled and scored on a grounder in the top of the second, but the Lady Chiefs would extend its slim 3-1 advantage during their next turn.

Santa Fe's rally began with a long triple, which would have cleared the fence at some parks, smashed by junior Danielle Bock. Junior Becca Woodson's single allowed Bock to saunter home.

Two walks and junior Kylie Wagner's single loaded the bases, with a wild pitch allowing Woodson to score. An intentional pass packed the sacks again, but freshman Gia Baldwin spoiled that strategy with a two-run single to center field.

A botched field's choice on freshman Molly Sander's sacrifice bunt brought Bridges out to the mound for a walk-up call to his club, but it didn't work. Junior Chelsea Gieselman walked to force in a run and two more scored on sophomore Lauren Aversman's double. A grounder and junior Joci Russell's sac fly ended the onslaught, with the Lady Chiefs in charge, 12-1.

The Lady Cougars had a charge in them. A walk and singles by junior Lauren Brockhaus, sophomores Erin Welhoff and Ashton Doak, and freshman Emily Welhoff -- the last plating two runs -- closed the margin to 12-5.

However, having survived the rough patch, Sander settled down and held Crest Ridge (6-4) scoreless the rest of the way -- allowing only one hit over the final four frames.

Gieselman singled and came in on Bock's second triple of the game, this one a drive past the third-base bag, in the fifth inning and a pair of boots gave Santa Fe its final run in the seventh.

Bock drove in three runs and Gieselman scored three times for the Lady Chiefs (4-7), who are due to play Wednesday in the St. Mary's Spring Classic.