Chatfield softball defeats Legend in dramatic fashion

LITTLETON — Chatfield junior Kendall Davros will always remember her first varsity home run.

Davros belted a 3-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning Wednesday afternoon to propel the Chargers to a dramatic 7-6 come-from-behind home victory against Legend. 

“When I came up to bat I was really trying to get those runners in,” Davros said of her dramatic blast. “This whole thing is about the team. For me to go up and do that for them was really big for me.”

Chatfield (2-0 record) had trailed most the game against last year’s Class 5A state semifinal team. The Titians (0-1) held a 6-1 lead after the top of the fifth inning with Legend scoring six unanswered runs after Chatfield held a 1-0 lead after the first inning.

The Chargers got the offensive going with a 3-run bottom of the fifth inning to cut the deficit to 6-4. Seniors Aubrey Henshaw and Klara Van Beuge, along with junior Lexie Balfanz all drove in runs to close the gap.

Junior Kendall Holloway was hit-by-pitch in the bottom of the sixth inning and junior Raeann Goodwin came off the bench with a single to set the table for Davros. 

“I try to tell Kendall (Davros) and some of those (girls) to use their speed,” Chatfield coach Darin Shepard said. “You don’t want to necessarily lift the ball, but that was a great time to lift the ball.”

Davros — Chatfield’s No. 9 hitter in the line-up — was leaping in the air and fist pumping before she even got to first base as her line-drive shot easily cleared the fence.

“Our line-up one through nine is so strong,” Shepard said of the Chargers’ No. 9 hitter delivering the eventual game-winning 3-run blast. “I look at it as I wouldn’t want to face it. All these girls can hit.”

Legend got the game-tying runner on base to lead-off the top of the seventh inning. Holloway, who took over in the circle for starting pitcher Karlie Cooledge in the fourth inning, was able to induce a pair of ground-ball outs to get Chatfield one out away from a second comeback victory this week. The Chargers edged ThunderRidge 11-9 on Monday.

Senior Lexi Craig was the Titians last hope. The senior who was 2-for-4 from the plate with a single and a 2-run double already, hit a high fly ball deep to centerfield.

“As so as it was hit I thought it was out,” Chatfield junior centerfield Ally Dodge admitted.

However, Dodge got to the fence and was able to make the catch for the final out.

“Ally is a phenomenal centerfielder,” Shepard said. “I felt like the wind was blowing in and was keeping some stuff in. As soon as it was hit I was confident Ally was going to get to it. She is one of the best outfielders we’ve ever had at Chatfield.”

Chatfield is a senior and junior strong squad this season after a solid 18-8 record last year that included a trip of the 16-team 5A state tournament.

“I think this team has great chemistry and wants to win not for themselves, but for each other,” Davros said. “We have a lot of grit on this team and everyone contributed today.”

Chatfield will be feeling good after two big victories to start the season heading to a trip to the Western Slope this coming weekend. The Chargers face Fruita Monument on Friday night and then square off against Central of Grand Junction on Saturday.

“Last year when we had that trip it was good, but we had a few bumps,” Shepard said of the weekend trip to Grand Junction. “Hopefully it was solidify the team so we can make a good run.”

Shepard is in his first year at the helm of Chatfield softball program. He takes over for Jen Lazzeri, who guided the Chargers to multiple state tournaments during her tenure as Chatfield’s head softball coach. Shepard was on Lazzeri’s staff so the transition has been smooth.

“I really don’t think there is much of a difference,” Dodge said of the head coaching change. “The chemistry is exactly the same.”