CHSAANow

Category: Softball

  • Photos: No. 3 Holy Family softball beats Centaurus

    Third-ranked Holy Family softball picked up a 16-1 win over Centaurus on Thursday.

  • No. 6 Chatfield softball takes charge early in win over No. 3 Lakewood

    LAKEWOOD — Chatfield took another big step Wednesday toward its first Class 5A Jeffco League softball title in nearly a decade.

    The Chargers — No. 6 in this week’s CHSAANow.com Class 5A softball rankings — handed No. 3 Lakewood its first loss of the season at Ray Baker Field. Chatfield (10-2 record, 4-0 in league) dominated the Tigers to a tune of 8-1.

    “We’ve definitely had our eyes on this,” Chatfield coach Jen Lazzari said of the Top-10 5A showdown. “We knew this would be a big week and every league game is a big. Lakewood has been off to an incredible start.”

    Chatfield junior Kailey Horton was all smiles after her 2-run home run in the first inning. Horton hit a pair over the fence in the Chargers’ 8-1 victory over Lakewood. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)

    Chatfield got off to a great start against Lakewood (8-1, 0-1). Senior pitcher Izzy DiNapoli helped herself out with a 2-out RBI single in the top of the first inning. Then junior Kailey Horton followed up with a 2-run home run to get the Chargers out to an early 3-0 lead.

    “We try to get ahead in every game to get into that groove,” Horton said. “This was a big game. We needed to come out strong and put pressure on Lakewood.”

    Chatfield continued to pile up the runs in the second inning. Junior Peyton Shepard had a single, but the big help came from four walks and a hit batter issued by Lakewood junior pitcher Destiny Martinez in the inning.

    The Chargers plated four more runs in the inning to grab a 7-0 lead heading to the bottom of the 2nd inning.

    “We definitely try to get runs anyway we can,” Horton said. “If it is walks or getting hit by a pitch, or even hitting a sacrifice fly to advance a runner. We work hard on doing those things.”

    Horton belted her second home run, a solo shot in the fourth inning to extend the lead to 8-0. The junior catcher had missed three games earlier in the year due to a concession.

    “It’s good to have her (Horton) back because we need her bat in the lineup,” DiNapoli said.

    Chatfield senior Izzy DiNapoli outdueled Lakewood ace Destiny Martinez on Wednesday at Ray Baker Field at Lakewood High School. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)

    DiNapoli finished with nine strikeouts while scattering three hits. She picked up her seventh victory on the mound this season. She was able to outduel Martinez, who had five wins on the season and an ERA under 1.0 entering the game.

    “We know we have to score runs and I definitely feel like I throw harder against really good teams,” DiNapoli said facing off against Martinez.

    Lakewood did end the shutout bid in the seventh inning. Junior Reagan Medina ripped a solo home run to end Chatfield shutout streak in 5A Jeffco League play. The Chargers have outscored their four conference opponents 35-1.

    Chatfield is the lone undefeated team left in the tough league after Pomona (7-5, 2-1) suffered its first conference loss Wednesday to defending league champion Columbine (6-6, 1-2).

    “It feels great, but just because we are ahead doesn’t mean we can stop working,” Horton said of the Chargers undefeated in conference play with three league game left. “We still need to push ourselves in practice to get to the next level.”

    While a league softball title for the first time since 2011 would be great, Lazzari knows the Chargers have even bigger goals. Chatfield is back on the field with a non-league game on the road against 4A’s No. 2 Wheat Ridge.

    “These girls have really started to buy in together,” Lazzari said of her team. “We need all nine no matter where you a playing. Good isn’t good enough. We need to be great.”

    Lakewood will try to get back on track with back-to-back league games against Valor and Arvada West to end the week.

    “We’ll work hard and get back at it tomorrow,” Lakewood coach Dannielle Gunn said after the Tigers’ 8-game winning streak came to an end. “We’ll work on somethings we need to adjust before Friday and Saturday games.”

    Chatfield junior Peyton Shepard, right, slides into third base before Lakewood junior Faith Giebenrath can put down a tag Wednesday at Ray Baker Field. The Tigers suffered their first loss of the year with a 8-1 defeat. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)

  • Photos: Elizabeth softball scores fast in win over Falcon

    Elizabeth softball scored six runs in the first two inning to get an 11-1 win over Falcon on Wednesday.

  • No. 2 Wheat Ridge softball gets back on track in 4A Jeffco

    WHEAT RIDGE — Wheat Ridge’s softball team didn’t have any time to dwell over its first loss of the season.

    Less than 24 hours after the Farmers — No. 2 in the CHSAANow.com Class 4A rankings — suffered a 7-6 loss to Bear Creek, Wheat Ridge was back on the field to face rival Golden in another 4A Jeffco League game.

    Wheat Ridge senior Cassie Uhl rounds the bases after a 2-run home run during the Farmers’ 11-run 2nd inning Tuesday against rival Golden. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)

    “It was drilled into us right at the end of the (Bear Creek) game,” Wheat Ridge senior Amaya Ruiz said of how important it was for the Farmers to bounce back. “We have to stay humble. We can’t be perfect every single game. We came out today and did our best.”

    Golden (4-6, 1-1 in league) came in to the Farmers’ home field on a 4-game winning streak and grabbed an early 1-0 lead with an RBI single by senior Caitlyn Stevens. However, it was all Farmers from there on out.

    Wheat Ridge (8-1, 2-1) had an 11-run bottom of the 2nd inning sending 14 batters to the plate. Ruiz had a 2-run double and senior Cassie Uhl highlighted the inning with a 2-run home run to finish off the 11-run inning.

    “We had to respond after Golden’s run,” Ruiz said after Wheat Ridge’s 13-1 victory.

    Juniors Bella Martinez and Aaliyah Arellano each had RBIs in the third inning to push the Farmers’ lead to 13-1 through three innings. Senior Jalesa Lujan got the win on the mound for the Farmers. She was able to scatter four Demon hits.

    “We still have a lot of things to address,” Wheat Ridge coach Marty Stricklett said. “I would have honestly liked to practice today, but for team morale it was probably good that we had a game today.”

    Golden sophomore Mia Rauzi (2) slides in to home during the first inning Tuesday at Pennington Field in Wheat Ridge. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)

    Stricklett coached the Farmers to four 4A state titles — 2008, 2009, 2011 and 2013 — is back at Wheat Ridge on a one year before assistant coach Dave Theis takes over the program. Stricklett most recently coached at Brighton, while Theis was at Grandview before both returned to Wheat Ridge this season. Theis coached the Wolves to a 5A state title in 2014.

    The Farmers will have to make up some ground and likely win their remaining five conference games to win the league title and clinch the automatic 4A state tournament bid.

    “We were just flat,” Stricklett said of the loss against Bear Creek which was just Stricklett’s second league loss in 13 years coaching high school softball at Wheat Ridge and Brighton. “We hit one ball hard yesterday. At lot of that had to do with Bear Creek’s pitcher (Jordyn Johnson). We gave up six runs early and that buried us.”

    The last conference loss for Stricklett was in 2014 in a no-hit loss against Valor Christian.

    “If you don’t give 100 percent you are going to lose ball games. We learned that yesterday,” Stricklett said. “We learned what our true 100 percent has to be.”

    Wheat Ridge has a tough non-league test at home Friday. The Farmers face Chatfield — No. 6 in the 5A rankings.

    “We are hungry for every single game,” Ruiz said. “Every single game is important. We can’t underestimate anybody.”

    The Farmers have back-to-back road games against Evergreen (Saturday) and Conifer (Monday) to get back into conference play after facing Chatfield.

    “Pressure helps us,” Ruiz said. “If we make it to state the pressure is going to be on. We are high up in the rankings so there is already pressure on us because every team we play wants us. We just have to play our own game.”

    Wheat Ridge senior Amaya Ruiz, left, slides back into second base ahead of a tag by Golden junior Jailee Kennedy. Ruiz went 2-for-2 with a pair of RBIs in the Farmers’ 13-1 victory Tuesday. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)

  • Photos: Big third inning powers No. 7 Riverdale Ridge softball over Northridge

    Down 4-2 heading into the bottom of the third, Class 4A No. 7 Riverdale Ridge softball scored six runs and held on to beat Northridge 9-5.

  • Photos: Elizabeth softball jumps out early in win over Mitchell

    Elizabeth softball wasted no time getting on the scoreboard and coasted to a 23-0 win over Mitchell on Tuesday.

  • Softball: Garner leads No. 4 Broomfield in upset win over No. 2 Fossil Ridge

    Broomfield Chatfield softball
    (Lisa Hayes/StillOfTheMomentPhotography.com)

    Kenzi Garner had herself an afternoon. While a lot of the lineup struggled to figure out Fossil Ridge pitching, the Broomfield senior put together an overall solid performance and helped the Class 5A No. 4 Eagles get a 2-1 8-inning win over the No. 2 Sabercats on Tuesday.

    Garner went 3-for-4 with a solo home run. Bryna Kapelke also hit one out for Broomfield but two solo shots were all that was needed against one of the top teams in the state.

    Broomfield (12-0 overall, 6-0 Front Range League) scored the first run of the game from one of those home runs in the first inning. Then it turned into a classic pitcher’s duel with neither team relenting a run until the bottom of the sixth when Fossil Ridge got the tying run across the plate.

    In perhaps her most important start of the season, Broomfield sophomore Breanna Fiala was everything the Eagles needed her to be in the circle. She surrendered just five hits and struck out eight batters.

    The lone Fossil Ridge run that crossed the plate was unearned but it didn’t phase her and she remained steady for the next two innings. The Eagles hit their second home run of the game in the top of the eighth inning and Fiala shut the door on the Sabercats in the bottom of the inning to help the Eagles remain undefeated.

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    (4) Lyons 6, (5) Strasburg 3

    Brooklyn Enny went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBI’s to help Np. 4 Lyons top No. 5 Strasburg. The Lions held a 6-0 lead through four innings but Strasburg cut the lead in half in the top of the sixth.

    But that’d be as close as it would get as Lyons got through the seventh unscathed to improve to 6-2 on the year.

    (1) Eaton 7, (9) Brush 1

    Yaritza Puente went 2-for-3 with a home run as top-ranked Eaton continued its impressive 2020 season with a big win over Brush.

    Eaton has now won five straight games, including a 11-5 tilt against No. 2 University.

  • Photos: No. 10 Cherokee Trail softball beats Cherry Creek

    Tenth-ranked Cherokee Trail softball beat Cherry Creek 14-7 on Monday.

  • Softball rankings: Eaton moves up to No. 1 in Class 3A

    (Lisa Hayes/StillOfTheMomentPhotography.com)

    Eaton’s softball team, now 7-1-0, has moved up to the No. 1 spot in this week’s Class 3A rankings.

    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 (9) 7-1-0 173 1 0-1-0
    2 Fossil Ridge 9-1-0 134 3 2-0-0
    3 Lakewood (4) 8-0-0 132 7 5-0-0
    4 Broomfield (3) 10-0-0 120 2 2-0-0
    5 Smoky Hill (1) 8-0-0 103 5 2-0-0
    6 Chatfield 8-2-0 83 6 1-0-0
    7 Legend 5-2-0 68 9 2-0-0
    8 Legacy (2) 5-3-0 59 4 0-2-0
    9 Grand Junction Central 6-3-0 51 8 2-1-0
    10 Cherokee Trail 5-2-0 40 10 2-1-0
    Others receiving votes:
    Columbine 29, Castle View 23, Rocky Mountain 19, Arvada West 16, Douglas County 16, Horizon 15, Hinkley 10, Fruita Monument 8, Highlands Ranch 7, Brighton 6, Ralston Valley 6, Cherry Creek 5, Fort Collins 5, ThunderRidge 5, Valor Christian 5, Denver East 3, Fountain-Fort Carson 3, Mountain Range 3, Rampart 3, Eaglecrest 2, Arapahoe 1, Pomona 1, Regis Jesuit 1.
    Dropped out
    None.
    Class 4A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS PVS LW
    1 Mead (7) 8-0-0 129 1 1-0-0
    2 Wheat Ridge (6) 7-0-0 122 2 2-0-0
    3 Holy Family 6-2-0 96 3 3-0-0
    4 D’Evelyn (1) 8-0-0 67 – 5-0-0
    5 Silver Creek 5-4-0 55 7 3-0-0
    6 Erie 5-3-0 46 4 1-1-0
    7 Riverdale Ridge 9-1-0 38 5 4-0-0
    8 Conifer 6-1-0 37 – 3-0-0
    9 Frederick 8-2-0 28 6 3-1-0
    10 Ponderosa 5-2-0 18 9 3-2-0
    Others receiving votes:
    Pueblo Central 17, Mesa Ridge 15, Pueblo West 14, Windsor 14, Roosevelt 12, Pueblo South 9, Northfield 9, Mullen 8, Pueblo Centennial 8, Bear Creek 6, Air Academy 5, Discovery Canyon 5, Falcon 5, Golden 3, Palisade 2, Niwot 1, Pueblo County 1.
    Dropped out
    Air Academy (8), Mesa Ridge (10).
    Class 3A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS PVS LW
    1 Eaton (6) 7-1-0 101 2 2-0-0
    2 University (5) 6-2-0 98 1 1-1-0
    3 Rocky Ford 6-0-0 74 3 1-0-0
    4 Lyons 5-2-0 66 5 2-0-0
    5 Strasburg 4-3-0 59 8 0-0-0
    6 Limon 6-2-0 55 4 1-1-0
    7 Lutheran (1) 6-1-0 43 9 1-0-0
    8 La Junta 4-3-0 40 10 2-2-0
    9 Brush 4-4-0 35 7 1-1-0
    10 Sterling 5-3-0 29 6 1-1-0
    Others receiving votes:
    Fort Lupton 15, Delta 10, Alamosa 9, Basalt 8, Denver West 8, The Academy 8, Aspen 7, Burlington 7, Montezuma-Cortez 7, Weld Central 7, Faith Christian 6, Holyoke 6, Lamar 6, Yuma 4, Jefferson 3, Sheridan 2, Cedaredge 1, Harrison 1.
    Dropped out
    None.

  • No. 7 Lakewood softball pitches a pair of shutouts at Dave Sanders Tournament

    AURORA — Being a little unpredictable and a bit wild can be pretty effective for a softball pitcher.

    Lakewood junior Destiny Martinez was just that in the circle during the opening round of the annual Dave Sanders Tournament on Friday afternoon at Aurora Sports Park. Martinez hit three batters, walked a pair, but didn’t give up a hit in a complete-game, no-hit shutout victory against Ponderosa.

    Lakewood junior Destiny Martinez had 16 strikeouts during her no-hitter against Ponderosa on Friday afternoon at Aurora Sports Park. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)

    “I was ready. I know what I need to do. Sometimes it just doesn’t happen,” Martinez said after her 16 strikeout performance in a 2-0 victory for the Tigers (5-0 record). “I just needed to stay calm for my team.”

    Martinez wasn’t picture perfect throwing a number of pitches well over the head of catcher Abigail Swartz, but in turn, the Mustangs weren’t able to square up any pitches. Ponderosa (3-1) put just four balls in play. Two were ground balls back to Martinez.

    “She (Martinez) always does a great job in the circle for us. It was a little of a mechanical thing for her,” Gunn said of Martinez’s wildness. “She needed to use her legs a little more and she was making adjustments throughout the game.”

    Lakewood — No. 7 in the current Class 5A softball CHSAANow.com rankings — used the long ball to produce both runs. Junior Reagan Medina belted a lead-off home run to start the bottom of the fourth inning. Junior Faith Giebenrath hit a lead-off shot well over left field to start the bottom of the fifth inning.

    “My whole mindset was that we just needed runs after Reagan’s home run,” Giebenrath said. “We only had one run and we need more on the board. I just wanted to hit it as hard as I could and it went over. It was a good hit.”

    That was all the offense Lakewood needed. Ponderosa finally advanced a runner to second base for the first time in the final inning after a hit-by-pitch and fielding error by the Tigers. However, Martinez finished the game off herself fielding a comebacker to the mound to record the final out.

    Ponderosa junior Kaylee Ely, right, steals second base as Lakewood junior Reagan Medina reaches for the ball during an opening game of the Dave Sanders Tournament on Sept. 11. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)

    It was the third shutout victory of the season for the undefeated Tigers.

    “There is only pressure when we don’t hit,” Martinez said who already has 43 strikeouts in 21 innings pitched. “But I think that we can hit. We are a good hitting team.”

    After another close shutout victory — Lakewood defeated Conifer 1-0 earlier in the season — Gunn is looking for a little more offense from her Tigers.

    “We need a little more consistency,” Gunn said. “Our bats were a little slower in that game. Consistency is what we are looking for.”

    Lakewood’s bat got hot in the night game against Brighton. The Tigers cranked out an 11-0 victory with Medina picking up the victory on the mound to give Lakewood its fourth shutout win of the season.

    The Tigers are scheduled for three games Saturday, Sept. 12, at Aurora Sports Park to close out the annual tournament hosted by Lakewood and Columbine. Lakewood faces Pueblo Central (11 a.m.), ThunderRidge (1 p.m.) and Pueblo East (3 p.m.) at the sight of the one-day state tournament scheduled for Oct. 10.

    After the Sanders Tournament, Lakewood will play seven 5A Jeffco League games over the span of 16 days. Only the conference champion in each 5A league receive an automatic bid for the state tournament this year.

    “Absolutely,” Gunn said of more stress this season with no regional tournaments to qualify for state and RPI filling the remainder of the 16-team field. “What we do is take it day-by-day. We are in a great spot right now. We are excited to be out here and that the Dave Sanders Tournament is still going on. It’s awesome to be out here today.”

    Ponderosa junior Kaylee Eyl forces out Lakewood junior Jazlyn Arvizo at second base Friday afternoon at Aurora Sports Park. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)