Chatfield softball powers past rival Columbine
LITTLETON — Chatfield used a little bit of speed, along with a whole lot of power Monday against south-Jeffco rival Columbine
The Chargers (8-4, 2-1 in Class 5A Jeffco) crushed six home runs in a dominating 13-3 victory over Columbine at Chatfield’s home field.
“We kind of scouted (Columbine) on Saturday,” Chatfield senior Kylie Bickford said of the Chargers catching Valor’s 13-3 win over Columbine on Sept. 14 after the Chargers took care of Lakewood earlier in the day. “We made sure we got dialed in and sat back on their pitches. I think we did a really good job of staying disciplined and roping the ball.”
Bickford led the long-ball parade with a pair of solo home runs. Seniors Ava Burgess, Sierra Leyba, Kendall Davros, along with freshman Bella Leech all belted home runs in the key Jeffco victory.
“I think it really brought in the energy,” Burgess said of her lead-off home run to start the bottom of the second inning that answered the RBI fly ball by Columbine junior Mason Abraham that gave the Rebels (11-4, 2-2) an early 1-0 lead. “It really amplified the energy and allowed us to carry on in the inning.”
Burgess singled in the second inning, then proceeded to use her speed steal second, third and home plate to help push Chatfield’s lead to 6-1 through two innings.
Fittingly, Davros ended the game in the bottom of the fifth inning with a lead-off solo home run to induce the 10-run mercy rule.
“We came in on Saturday and did some extra work,” Chatfield coach Darin Shepard said after the league-opener loss to Valor on Sept. 12. “We were really, really disciplined today. We knew what we were going to see. They looked for their pitches and did a fantastic job.”
Leech grabbed the victory in the pitching circle for the Chargers. The freshman allowed three runs on five hits while walking six batters in the complete-game victory.
“A freshman, she is coming along. She is learning the game a little bit,” Shepard said of Leech. “She is learning to trust our defense a little bit more. We are trying to get the walks down. We will take this result.”
Columbine had some scoring chances. The Rebels stranded 10 runners in the second straight league loss. Leech ended with five strikeouts.
“Bella settled in there at the end,” Bickford said of keeping the Rebels off the scoreboard in the fifth inning to set up the walk-off home run by Davros. “She really found her spots and did well.”
The win kept Chatfield 1-game behind Valor in the conference standings. Columbine joined Ralston Valley, Lakewood and Arvada West all with two league losses.
“Jeffco is so tough,” Shepard said. “If you take anyone lightly you are going to get stung. We’ve got to get ready for the A-West game and take them one-by-one. Try to keep these bats going.”
Chatfield hits the road to face A-West (7-6, 1-2) at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 18. The Wildcats suffered a 4-3 loss to Lakewood on Monday, while Valor just edged Ralston Valley 7-6 on the Eagles’ home field.
“Honestly, I think it is just more motivation for us,” Burgess said of trailing Valor (13-1, 4-0) in the conference standings.
The Chargers will get a second shot against Valor on Sept. 30.
Columbine will try to right its ship on the road against Ralston Valley (4-8, 2-2). On Wednesday, Sept. 18.
