Aurora – After watching her teammates become flummoxed by the wicked changeups of Bear Creek’s Ashleigh Starr, all Jesse Schoeplin wanted to do was make “hard contact and then run hard.”
With the bases loaded and the score tied in the top of the seventh inning, Schoeplin, Arvada West’s shortstop, did just that. She laced a groundball that handcuffed Bears second baseman Selina Pacheco, then raced to first base as the Wildcats (6-3, 1-0) scored two runs.
Arvada West pitcher Christy Grubbs then finished off Bear Creek (7-3, 1-0) for the 3-1 victory and the Dave Sanders Memorial Tournament championship Saturday.
Starr dominated the Wildcats most of the afternoon at the Aurora Sports Complex, allowing only two hits and striking out 10 through the first six innings. But Arvada West played small ball in the seventh against its Class 5A Jefferson County League foe to set the plate for Schoeplin.
After Starr recorded two quick outs in the seventh, second baseman Jordan Schoeplin legged out an infield hit. First baseman Mikey Kenney followed with a single through the infield, and Sara Tani loaded the bases with a bunt base hit.
Kenney and Jordan Schoeplin scored as Pacheco struggled to find the handle on Jesse Schoeplin’s grounder.
Grubbs, who was nearly as impressive as Starr, gave up two walks in the bottom of the seventh but struck out Tonya Atencio to win the tournament, which was named in honor of the teacher and coach who was killed in the 1999 Columbine shootings.
The Wildcats had several chances to break out during the game but stranded runners at third in both the fourth and sixth innings. Starr scored in the first to put Bear Creek up early, but the Bears never managed to move beyond second base after the opening frame.
“I’m proud of my kids,” said Mark Roberts, who took over as Bears coach after spending 14 years at Douglas County. “They had a great tournament.”
Arvada West upset Mountain Vista 6-4 to earn a spot in the tournament final. Starr pulled double duty Saturday, shutting down Pueblo County before taking the mound against the Wildcats.
“I think this sends a big message,” Jesse Schoeplin said.
