No. 10 Conifer softball opens 4A Jeffco play with 7th straight win

LAKEWOOD — Conifer’s 4-run top of the sixth inning gave the Lobos to an early lead in the always competitive Class 4A Jeffco League softball race late Tuesday afternoon.

The Lobos — No. 10 in CHSAANow.com‘s 4A softball rankings this week — was clinging to a 1-0 lead through five innings on the road against Green Mountain. An RBI double by Conifer’s lone senior Regan Pell in the top of the first inning gave the Lobos (7-1 record) the lead, but it wasn’t until the breakout top of the sixth inning would Conifer grab a more comfortable lead.

“It feels pretty good to be ahead,” Pell said after the Lobos’ 5-1 victory put Conifer head of the rest of the conference.

Sophomore Eleanor Sikora got things going in the top of the sixth inning with a lead-off walk. It wasn’t clear if Conifer’s catch would even be able to finish the game after a collision at the plate in the bottom of the third inning with Green Mountain freshman Caroline Salaver.

A throw from centerfielder Kiki Pell to Sikora beat Salaver by several feet, but the two collided on the play. Sikora was able to hang on to the ball for the out and Salaver was ejected for initiating contact.

“We are just a tough team. Things happen and stuff goes down, but we just keep going,” Regan Pell said. “You just have to keep your head up.”

Kiki Pell, Molly Mortier, Avrie Bunchman and Ryli Metcalf — Conifer’s 6 through 9 hitters — generated four straight RBIs in the sixth inning to extend the Lobos’ lead to 5-0.

“It was nice,” Conifer coach Carrie Oletski said of the Lobos getting some breathing room late for Bunchman, who was making her first league start in the circle. “We always have a tough time here at Green Mountain.”

Green Mountain (5-4-1) finally got on the board with an RBI single by junior Makenna Persichetti in the bottom of the seventh inning.

“I was definitely nervous, but I knew I just had to come out here and shut them down,” Bunchman said. “I think I did a pretty good job of that.”

The graduation of Conifer’s four-year starting pitcher Cheyenne Prieto left a hole, but also gives an opportunity. Prieto finished her career with a 39-16 record and 2.62 ERA in over 300 innings pitched from the 2018 to 2021.

“Cheyenne Prieto was amazing, but we’ve got our three sophomores and they are doing great,” Regan Pell said.

Oletski said she plans on using Bunchman, Jesse Nichols and Mortier as a pitching rotation instead of the one horse that the Lobos had with Prieto for so many seasons.

“One of our goals is to win league,” Oletski said. “Avrie came out and pitched a heck of a game.”

Bunchman scattered six inning in the complete-game victory. The win was Conifer’s seventh straight after dropping its season opener against Douglas County.

“Since that game (Douglas County) we’ve give up less than 20 runs in seven games,” Oletski said.

Conifer heads north at the end of the week for the 2-day Berthoud Tournament on Friday and Saturday. The Lobos will get in four games before getting back to conference play next week.

“It is weird that we are young,” Regan Pell said. “I think this is defintely close (talent wise) to last year’s team even thou we are so young. We fight so hard and have some good girls out here.”