Kylee Ornstein went 1-for-3 and hit a two-run home run to lead D’Evelyn softball to an eight-inning 7-5 win over Pomona.
Category: Softball
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Photos: Kinder helps Valor Christian softball beat Mountain Range
Jordan Kinder went 3-for-4 with four RBIs as Valor Christian beat Mountain Range 13-4 on Saturday.
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Softball rankings: Rock Canyon takes over as No. 1 in 5A
(@RockCanyonAD/Twitter) Rock Canyon has moved up to the No. 1 spot in this week’s Class 5A softball rankings
Each poll was released on Monday.
The polls, voted upon by head coaches around the state, will serve as part of the seeding criteria in softball this season. Polls are released each Monday during the regular season.
Complete rankings for each class are below.
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CHSAANow.com Softball Polls
Voted upon by coaches around the state. New voters can sign up by emailing rcasey@chsaa.org. These rankings will factor into postseason seeding. More information is available here.
Class 5A RK TEAM W-L PTS PVS LW 1 Rock Canyon (11) 3-0-0 130 2 3-0-0 2 Legacy 2-0-0 108 4 2-0-0 3 Fossil Ridge 1-1-0 85 3 1-1-0 4 Columbine 1-1-0 72 1 1-1-0 5 Chatfield (1) 2-0-0 66 9 2-0-0 6 Rocky Mountain (1) 0-0-0 65 8 0-0-0 7 Legend 0-0-0 57 5 0-0-0 8 Smoky Hill (1) 2-0-0 55 6 2-0-0 9 Broomfield 0-0-0 36 7 0-0-0 10 Lakewood (1) 1-0-0 30 – 1-0-0 Others receiving votes: Arvada West 21, Ralston Valley 19, Cherokee Trail 15, Mountain Vista 13, Grand Junction Central 12, Valor Christian 12, Cherry Creek 11, Eaglecrest 11, Brighton 10, Hinkley 10, Castle View 9, Fort Collins 8, Pomona 8, Vista Ridge 6, Fairview 5, Arapahoe 3, Douglas County 1, Fruita Monument 1, ThunderRidge 1. Dropped out Ralston Valley (10). Class 4A RK TEAM W-L PTS PVS LW 1 Holy Family (10) 2-0-0 106 1 2-0-0 2 Erie 0-1-0 69 2 0-1-0 3 Wheat Ridge 2-0-0 65 5 2-0-0 4 Silver Creek 0-1-0 58 3 0-1-0 5 Pueblo South 1-1-0 47 4 1-1-0 6 Riverdale Ridge 2-0-0 36 – 2-0-0 7 Pueblo West 1-0-0 30 – 1-0-0 8 Frederick 3-0-0 24 – 3-0-0 9 Mead 2-0-0 23 6 2-0-0 10 Air Academy 1-0-0 19 – 1-0-0 Others receiving votes: Mullen 16, Pueblo County 15, Pueblo Central 10, Pueblo East 10, Roosevelt 10, Discovery Canyon 8, Bear Creek 7, Conifer 7, Elizabeth 7, Mountain View 7, Windsor 7, Golden 5, Mesa Ridge 4, Pueblo Centennial 4, Berthoud 3, Longmont 3, D’Evelyn 2, Evergreen 2, Rifle 1. Dropped out Mountain View (7), Golden (8), Pueblo County (9), Mullen (10). Class 3A RK TEAM W-L PTS PVS LW 1 University (10) 1-0-0 124 1 1-0-0 2 Eaton (1) 2-0-0 106 2 2-0-0 3 Strasburg (1) 1-1-0 76 3 1-1-0 4 Sterling 2-0-0 67 6 2-0-0 5 Rocky Ford 1-0-0 62 7 1-0-0 6 Brush 1-1-0 45 4 1-1-0 7 Limon 1-0-0 40 5 1-0-0 8 Lutheran (1) 4-0-0 38 – 4-0-0 9 Lamar 1-0-0 28 – 1-0-0 10 La Junta 0-1-0 23 10 0-1-0 Others receiving votes: Montezuma-Cortez 19, Basalt 17, Lyons 15, Fort Lupton 12, Peak to Peak 11, Resurrection Christian 7, The Academy 7, Weld Central 6, Alamosa 4, Faith Christian 4, Burlington 2, Cedaredge 1, The Classical Academy 1. Dropped out Basalt (8), The Academy (9). -
Rock Canyon beats Columbine softball in battle of 5A’s top two teams
(@RockyCanyonAD/Twitter) Rock Canyon softball, ranked No. 2 in the preseason, made an early-season statement with a win over No. 1 Columbine on Saturday.
The Jaguars, led by senior Audrey Burt, beat the Rebels 7-0 as they improved to 3-0 so far this fall.
Burt had 15 strikeouts in seven innings, and allowed just two hits. She also had an RBI at the plate.
Meanwhile, fellow senior Anna Reimers went 2-for-4, including a two-run home run in the top of the sixth inning.
Rock Canyon got its offense started early. In the top of the first, senior Annika Sprague and Katie Dack hit back-to-back home runs as the Jags grabbed a 2-0 lead.
Junior Savannah Avery added an RBI single in the top of the second. She later tripled to make it 4-0 in the fourth. Burt pushed it to 5-0 with a sacrifice bunt.
Rock Canyon has another big matchup on Tuesday when it faces preseason No. 4 Legacy, which is off to a 2-0 start.
Columbine is off until Friday, when it faces both Erie and Brighton.
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Pomona softball impressive in opener against Northglenn
Pomona junior Maggie Geise tossed a no-hitter with nine strikeout in three innings Friday against Northglenn. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics) ARVADA — Pomona softball couldn’t have asked for a better start to its 2020 season.
The Panthers opened with a complete-game 15-0 victory with the offensive and defensive both doing its share against Northglenn.
Pomona junior pitcher Maggie Geise was nearly perfect. Geise struck out nine batters in three innings pitched. The only baserunner that reached for the Norse was sophomore Nayelli Mora on a throwing error in the second inning.
“I just like to stay in my zone, throw and play my game,” said Geise after striking out the side in all three innings.
Pomona senior J’Lysaa Martinez, left, successfully steals third base before Northglenn junior Anissa Galarza can put down the tag. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics) Pomona’s bats did their part cranking out 16 hits in three innings. Senior Kendall Hufford did her fair share of damage. Hufford had a single and double, driving in four runs during the Panthers’ 10-run first inning.
“I thought it was really fun,” Hufford said of the Panthers’ first inning where they sent 14 batters to the plate. “I’m excited because I didn’t think we would play this well. I’m super excited about how the season is going to go.”
Hufford singled in the second inning and the Panthers plated a pair of runs on the hit after an error by Northglenn. Pomona senior J’Lyssa Martinez ended the game in the bottom of the third inning with her third hit of the game with an RBI single that induced the 15-run rule after three innings.
“You’ve got to put the ball in play and run hard,” Pomona coach Jim Biddle said of Pomona’s offense. “You have to put pressure on the opposing team. If we can continue to do that then we should be OK.”
Biddle is also confident in Geise. She had a 7-4 record with a 3.44 ERA last season.
“Good experience and a good solid mental focus. Nothing rattles her,” Biddle said of Geise. “She moves the ball around, changes speeds and keeps batters off-balanced. We are expecting a lot out of her this year.”
Pomona plays five non-league games in the span of nine days to start preparing for the always tough Class 5A Jeffco League. Columbine is the defending 5A Jeffco League and 5A state champion, but without ace pitcher Korbe Otis this season the door is open a little bit more for someone to step up to win the conference.
“It’s a tough league. One of the toughest in 5A,” Hufford said of 5A Jeffco. “We have a pretty good shot from what I saw today, but it will be tough. We will work hard toward it. There are big opportunities for us.”
5A Jeffco teams Columbine, Chatfield and Ralston Valley all made the CHSAANow.com preseason Top-10. Lakewood, Arvada West, Valor Christian and Pomona also received votes.
“There are no easy games in our league,” Biddle said. “Any team can win this league. That is how it’s always been and this year is no exception.”
Pomona junior Ashlynn Hendrix prepares to take off from second base during the Panthers’ 15-0 victory over Northglenn on Friday. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics) -
Photos: Pomona softball jumps out early to beat Northglenn
Pomona softball scored 10 runs in the first inning and held firm defensively to get a 15-0 win over Northglenn on Friday.
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No. 9 Chatfield softball no-hits Golden to move to 2-0
LITTLETON — When Jen Lazzeri took over the softball program in 2017 she knew then that her 2021 senior class was something special.
“This senior class is one of the best ever to come through Chatfield,” Lazzeri said after the Chargers won their home opener 15-0 against Golden on Saturday. “I feel bad for how their senior year of school is going to be. We are playing for them.”
Chatfield softball coach Jen Lazzeri has high hopes for her Chargers this season. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics) Senior Izzy DiNapoli highlights the senior class that also includes Madison Shepard, Courtney Tidwell and Morgan Morrell. DiNapoli has been the workhorse on the mound since her sophomore season. She currently has a career 2.23 ERA with 460 strikeouts in 373 innings pitched.
“She (DiNapoli) is a phenomenal kid and a phenomenal athlete,” Lazzeri said of her starting pitcher and clean-up hitter. “She is quiet and humble. I call her kind of a sleeping giant. She is our leader. We are counting on her to do a lot offensively and defensively for us.”
DiNapoli pitched two innings against Golden (0-2 record). She struck out five of the six batters she faced before sophomore Brooklyn Levin pitched the third inning for the Chargers, retiring the Demons in order to complete the combined no-hitter.
Chatfield hitters peppered all three Golden pitchers that Demons’ first-year coach Steph Martinez threw at the Chargers.
“We came out and our bats were on today,” Lazzeri said of the 16-hit performance from the Chargers. “All of this is different and we are just getting used to us being out here.”
DiNapoli had no problem pitching with a solid lead.
“I like it a lot when we are way up,” DiNapoli said.
Chatfield senior Izzy DiNapoli struck out five of six Golden batters she faced Saturday to combine for a no-hitter with sophomore Brooklyn Levin. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics) Junior Peyton Shepard reached base and scored from the leadoff spot for Chatfield (2-0) in all three of her at-bats. Her older sister — Madison — nearly hit for the cycle. Madison Shepard had an RBI single in the first inning. She went 2-for-2 from the plate during the Chargers’ 11-run second inning with an RBI double and 2-run triple to push Chatfield’s lead to 13-0 through two innings.
Madison is coming off a season-ending knee surgery that kept her playing in the state tournament for Chatfield in 2019.
“It was really disappointing for me to lose my junior season,” said Shepard who torn her ACL and meniscus. “Having the break with everything (COVID-19) going on I was able work harder, so to PT (physical therapy) and come back stronger.”
Chatfield had a 16-game winning streak last season, but went 4-4 in the tough Class 5A Jeffco League. The Chargers did advance to the 16-team state tournament, but lost a heartbreaker in extra innings in the opening round.
“This is our year,” Shepard said. “This is the best we’ve been in my four years here. We have to make the best of it.”
The 7-game conference sprint for Chatfield begins in early September.
“I am convinced we have one of the most talented teams in the state,” Lazzeri said. “I would take any of my kids any day. I know there isn’t a lot of attention on us right now, but that’s fine. We’ve got a job to do. We have big goals.”
The ultimate goal is to get back to the state tournament for the third straight season. The 5A state tournament has been trimmed to just a one-day tournament on Oct. 10 at Aurora Sports Park.
“Everyday we are out here we are blessed to be out here,” Lazzeri said of the COVID-19 pandemic that has changed prep sports across the country. “We just hope we get to complete the season for all of these kids.”
Chatfield junior Peyton Shepard slides under the tag of Golden shortstop Gracie Putnam during the Chargers’ 15-0 home victory Saturday against the Demons. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics) -
Baysinger and Litchfield help Air Academy softball upset No. 4 Pueblo South
(Courtesy of Frankie Gales) Air Academy softball got its season started off on a high note.
The Kadets, led by a pair of juniors, picked up a big 2-0 upset win over No. 4 Pueblo South on Thursday.
Brina Baysinger was dominant in the circle, allowing just one hit and one walk while striking out 15 over seven innings. It was her third career shutout, and the 15 strikeouts were a career high.
With the game scoreless in the top of the sixth inning, Air Academy’s Abby Litchfield hit a two-run home run. She was 2-for-3, accounting for two of the Kadets’ three hits in the game. It was Litchfield’s second career home run.
Pueblo South pitcher Emily Abraham also had an excellent game, matching Baysinger with 15 strikeouts over seven innings.
Air Academy reached the 4A regionals last season, while Pueblo South advanced to the state tournament.
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Lakewood softball’s Destiny Martinez fans 18 of 21 hitters
(Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics) If a softball team’s fielders are bored, that can only mean good things are happening in the pitcher’s circle.
That was the case this week for Lakewood. Destiny Martinez had herself a performance that should stand out among all sports for the entire year.
At the plate, she was fine. She went 1-for-3 and scored the only run for the Tigers as they beat Conifer 1-0.
From the rubber, it would’ve been hard to be better than what she was. She faced 21 batters through the course of the game. She stuck out 18 of them. The one batter that didn’t strike out managed to draw a walk ending Martinez’s perfect game chances, but she ended the day with one of the greatest no-hitters in all of Colorado softball history.
“We were definitely expecting a tight defensive performance from our defense as a whole,” coach Danielle Gunn said. “We know her talent, but my goodness striking out 18 of the 21 outs. She even had one of the (assists) so she was responsible for 19 of the 21 outs.”
Striking out hitters is not an uncommon accomplishment for Martinez. As a sophomore in 2019, she totaled 226 strikeouts. Her 18 strikeouts against Conifer this week matched her total from a 5-3 win over Conifer on Aug. 24 last year.
Her season-high as a sophomore was 20 strikeouts in a win over Standley Lake. In 134.2 innings pitched she maintained a 2.03 ERA and opposing hitters batted just .174 off her all of last season.
“We’re looking for improvement every single year,” Gunn said. “We don’t expect this many strikeouts from her each game, but we’re a strong defensive team and we want her to use her defense and know that she has great defense behind her.”
The Tigers advanced to the Class 5A state softball tournament a year ago but lost to Fossil Ridge in the first round.
The Tigers are hopeful in returning to the state tournament, but for now are just thrilled to be on the field.
“We’re just excited to be out there,” Gunn said. “Even with the adjustments that we – and everyone – have to make, it’s just great to be able to get out on the field and to be playing softball right now.”
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No. 1 Columbine softball begins 5A state title defense
LITTLETON — The last time Columbine’s softball team was on the diamond the Rebels were celebrating the program’s first state championship.
A 7-1 victory over Fossil Ridge on Oct. 26 at Aurora Sports Park ended a historic season for Columbine’s softball team that concluded with the Rebels hoisting the Class 5A state trophy.
Columbine junior Emma Todd lays off of a pitch during the Rebels’ home opener Wednesday. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics) Columbine, No. 1 in the CHSAANow.com Class 5A preseason rankings, returned to the field to kickoff its 2020 campaign Wednesday afternoon at Dave Sanders Memorial Field.
“That’s the best part of it,” Columbine coach Jim Santaniello said about being back on the field. “These girls and coaches have the opportunity to be out here. It’s so refreshing and awesome to be out here.”
The Rebels made the return to the field even sweeter with a come-from-behind 8-6 victory against Douglas County. The Huskies led 3-0 after a solo home run by Emerson Williams in the second inning and a two-run shot by Genevieve Bower in the third inning.
However, a three-run home run by Columbine junior Emma Todd in the bottom of the third inning tied things up a 3-3. A three-run fifth inning by the Rebels gave Columbine it’s first lead of the game. Junior Izzy Rodriguez started a two-out rally with a solo home run to put the Rebels up 6-5.
“I just wanted to keep my head as clear as possible,” Rodriguez said of her at-bat in the fifth inning that eventually flew over the wall in left field. “Just try to help out the team and do the best I can.”
Senior Nevaeh Ogden and junior Shay Cummings scored later in the inning thanks to a pair of errors and four walks issued by Douglas County to extend the lead to 8-5.
Douglas County junior Karlie Walters throws to first base during the season opener against Columbine on Wednesday. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics) “Izzy’s home run really gave us the momentum,” Santaniello said. “Our girls really got a lot of energy from that home run. I think that put a little pressure on Douglas County. That was a clutch hit.”
Douglas County freshman Jenna Madison would belt a solo home run in the sixth inning, but that was as close as the Huskies would get. Columbine sophomore pitcher Araya Ogden was able to work out of a jam in the seventh inning and strike out Alyssa Gutierrez to end the game.
“It’s amazing,” Rodriguez said after the win to start the season that will be shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “It’s something that bring us back to reality and something that is normal for us.”
The Rebels will look different this season.
The graduation of starting catcher Ally Distler — led the team with a dozen home runs and 40 RBIs in 2019 — leaves a big hole. Also, the plan was to have three-year starting pitcher and leadoff batter Korbe Otis back for her senior year before she heads to play at the University of Louisville. However, a hand injury will prevent last year’s 5A Jeffco MVP and 5A Player of the Year from playing this season for the Rebels.
Columbine sophomore Araya Ogden takes over the pitching duties with Class 5A Player of the Year Korbe Otis out this season with a hand injury. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics) “This team is going to have to be a lot more active. They are going to have to be much more resilient,” Santaniello said. “It’s really unfortunate that Korbe suffered that hand injury, but we just have to keep moving forward.”
Otis had a 24-2 record with a 0.91 ERA and 315 strikeouts last season.
“I thought Korbe would be back, but she had that finger injury,” said Ogden, who did get a few appearances in the circle for the Rebels last year as a freshman. “It was my time to step up, be a good pitcher and help my team out.”
The sophomore gave up a dozen hits against the Huskies, but was able to work out of a bases-loaded situation in the sixth inning and a dicey seventh inning where she hit a pair of batters and gave up a walk.
“The game plan was to have her (Araya Ogden) take over this program when she was a junior. We had to fast-forward that,” Santaniello said. “The great thing with her is when she as adversity she has even keeled. She just keeps plugging away. She is extremely tough mentally.”
Columbine gets a big test against No. 2 Rock Canyon at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 22, back to Dave Sanders Memorial Field. The Jaguars handed one of the Rebels’ two losses last season.
Columbine junior Izzy Rodriguez (23) had a key solo home run in the fifth inning to help lead the way to the Rebels’ 8-6 victory over Douglas County on Wednesday at Dave Sanders Memorial Field.