Note: For more photos from Brent Murphy, click here.
As the calendar turns to September, the Colorado softball landscape is clearing up as top teams continue to rack up impressive wins.
Here is Colorado Preps’ weekly look at softball.
Class 5A
If the program at Legend High School can get the same kind of production from its younger players it is now for the stretch run in October, a fourth state title in six years for the Titans seems closer and closer to reality.
The Parker school remained the top team in the CHSAA coaches’ poll this week, improving to 8-2 on the season heading into Thursday. The latest win (a 3-2 victory at home over No. 10 Legacy Wednesday) was covered in the fingerprints of the team’s young talent — foremost by freshman Lucy Thompson’s walk-off hit in the seventh inning and sophomore pitcher Charlotte Morgan’s win on the mound.
Thompson hit a run-scoring double with one out in the bottom of the last inning after Afton Armijo’s RBI double two batters deep in the frame tied things.
Morgan pitched four innings of shutout relief for ace pitcher Cameron Ponich, allowing one hit while striking out four. Building off a strong season on the mound in 2021, the sophomore currently has a 0.95 ERA with 29 Ks in 22 innings pitched. At the plate, she leads the team with four home runs and 14 runs driven in.
Elsewhere, Chatfield (No. 6) Ponderosa (No. 9) moved into the CHSAA rankings this week. The Chargers had wins over No. 5 Arvada West and No. 7 Douglas County and lost to No. 4 Horizon this past week. The Mustangs, behind Olivia Trombley’s .680 average and eight home runs this season, stayed perfect with five more wins to improve to 8-0.
Ponderosa hosts the top 10’s only other undefeated team in No. 2 Columbine (6-0) Thursday. Araya Ogden has allowed three earned runs in 33 innings pitched for the Rebels, striking out 43 while walking just five.
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Class 4A
Riverdale Ridge, remaining third for a second straight week in the CHSAA rankings, did so despite a couple statement wins over the last seven days.
The Ravens foiled the top of Class 3A, beating No. 3 University 8-2 Aug. 24 and No. 1 Eaton 10-0 last Friday in a mercy-rule shortened game.
Aubree Davis kept hitting, and has at least a hit in each of her first five games. She has driven in nine runs in 16 plate appearances.
Their pitching staff has allowed just four earned runs. Brynn Trujillo has 22 Ks in 12 innings.
Their rivals in the Longs Peak League were among the two teams making the largest jump in the rankings. Frederick moved from eighth to fifth, Roosevelt 10th to seven. Both undefeated on the season, the Golden Eagles have outscored their first five opponents 66-12. The Roughriders have played six and own a 73-26 edge.
Another team in the league, meanwhile, has the state’s leading batting average in Niwot’s Zoie Chociej, who is hitting 19 for 21 (.905). The senior has reached safely in 23 of 25 plate appearances, has three homers, five doubles and has driven in 17.
Class 3A
Despite being ranked seventh by CHSAA in this week’s coach’s poll, The Academy received two first-place votes. Best bet is they were from coaches who’ve seen its junior pitcher, Isabella Bruntz, up close.
Bruntz leads a team outscoring opponents 100-9 through its first eight games (7-1). She owns a 0.80 ERA with 65 strikeouts and just eight walks over 35 innings. To start the year, Bruntz threw no-hitters, beating Timnath in three innings and Holyoke in five innings.
As the Wildcats moved up just one spot in the rankings much of the rest of the top 10 followed suit with minimal change.
No. 2 Strasburg rose from third to second, right behind 3A leader Eaton, improving to 9-0 with ace pitcher Heidi Price’s season ERA dropping to 1.11.
Price, who has thrown a total of 38 innings, currently hasn’t allowed an earned run in her last 24 frames.
No. 3 University, dropping from two to three, bounced back from a loss to 4A No. 3 Riverdale Ridge with big wins over No. 8 Limon and Platte Valley this week. Sophomore Ellie Baca had four hits and four RBIs in the two wins, while Natalie Galindo had three hits and three runs driven in.
Brush made the biggest move in 3A this week, jumping from ninth to sixth after an opening-season win over Faith Christian Saturday. It followed it up with an 8-6 loss to 4A Berthoud Monday.
