Wheat Ridge closing in on 7th straight 4A Jeffco softball title
DENVER — Wheat Ridge is two wins away from a seventh consecutive Class 4A Jeffco League softball title.
The Farmers, defending 4A state champion and No. 2 in this week’s CHSAANow.com rankings, handed conference foe D’Evelyn an 8-2 loss Tuesday afternoon. Wheat Ridge (13-4, 6-0 in league) just needs wins over Valor Christian (Wednesday) and Arvada (Thursday) to complete a seventh sweep through 4A Jeffco.
Since moving to 4A in 2008, the Farmers have won four state titles and haven’t lost a conference game. In fact, according to Wheat Ridge coach Marty Stricklett, Wheat Ridge’s loss to Frederick earlier this month was the first loss to a 4A team during the regular season since Stricklett took over the program in 2008.
“We’ve got to keep it going,” Stricklett said of the Farmers’ remarkable conference streak. “This was a tough game, but it will get us ready for tomorrow. Valor is a good team. They hit the ball, play defense and pitch well. It will be a battle.”
The Farmers travel to Highlands Ranch to play No. 4 Valor (15-1, 5-1) on Wednesday. The game is scheduled for a 4 p.m. start. The Eagles shut out Evergreen 6-0 on Tuesday.
“It’s very important to us, but it’s also very important as a team that we continue this legacy that’s been at this school for a long time now,” Wheat Ridge senior Christina Nelson said of the Farmers’ league dominance and being in the mix for another state title.
Wheat Ridge suffered a 10-6 non-league loss to Brighton, the No. 1 ranked team in 5A, last week. Stricklett shook up his lineup Tuesday against D’Evelyn, including giving Nelson the start on the mound. It was Nelson’s first pitching action in more than a month.
Nelson responded giving up just two runs on six hits to pick up her first win of the season with a complete-game effort.
“It’s be awhile, but it wasn’t a surprise to me,” Nelson said of getting the start. “I was asked to go out and pitch for my team. That’s what I’m going to do.”
Wheat Ridge’s offense got off to a quick start with back-to-back singles by junior Ann Marie Torres and senior Analece Apodaca to lead off the game. Sophomore Gabby Loya drove both in with a two-run single giving the Farmers a 2-0 lead.
Loya had a strong day at the play in the Farmers’ cleanup stop. She drove in three runs and had a pair of hits to keep her average at .500 for the season.
“I just do whatever I can for my team,” Loya said. “We win as a whole team. I do whatever I can to get the ‘W’.”
Loya was diagnosed with leukemia last year and is still undergoing chemotherapy treatments. She shared the catching duties with senior Mary Sand on Tuesday.
“She (Loya) is the best hitter on the team right now,” Stricklett said. “She is a battler. She is still the hardest working kid I’ve ever coached.”
Torres fought her way to a prefect 5-for-5 from the plate against D’Evelyn. She scored three times and drove in a pair of runs. Apodaca had a trio of singles to help out the Farmers’ cause.
D’Evelyn (6-10, 5-2) was led offensively by junior Kelsey Marvel’s two-hit performance. Junior Gabriella Wilson and senior Adrianna Martinez picked up the RBIs for the Jaguars.
The Jaguars are the only team who has defeated Valor this season. D’Evelyn knocked off the Eagles with a 1-0 victory back on Sept. 13. Despite some quality wins, the Jaguars will have to hope to pick up an at-large bid to qualify for the postseason.
D’Evelyn closes out its regular season on the road against Golden on Thursday before a non-league tilt against Castle View at home Saturday.
