Broomfield – It was as easy as 1-2-3 for Broomfield.
The three batters at the top of the Eagles’ lineup – Becca Diede, Caitlan Stem and Jessika Anastos – combined for seven runs scored and seven RBIs on eight hits, including three triples and a double, in Broomfield’s surprising 11-1 Class 4A Northern League victory in five innings over Sterling on Tuesday.
“This was supposed to be a very big game for us, and it turned out to be an awesome day,” said Stem, who ended the game in the bottom of the fifth inning with a two-run triple.
Unranked Broomfield (9-4 overall, 7-2 league) controlled the game from the start and handed No. 7 Sterling (11-2, 8-1) its first league loss in the congested Northern.
“The top of their order (ate) our lunch,” Sterling coach Jenny Smock said. “Our philosophy is that the team that makes the fewest mistakes wins, and that wasn’t us.”
Broomfield pitcher Jessica Hamilton scattered three hits and finished with five strikeouts for the win against the Tigers.
The first two innings belonged to Broomfield’s Big Three. Diede went 3-for-4 with three runs scored, Stem was 3-for-4 with three runs scored and three RBIs, and Anastos rocked triples on her only two at-bats, driving in three runs.
But Anastos, the catcher, may have broken her hand or wrist and had to leave the game after three innings.
That, however, was the only downside for Broomfield.
“All year we’ve been waiting for them to put it together. Today was a great time for them to do it,” said new Broomfield coach Tobin Echo-Hawk, formerly of Centaurus.
Just to round things out, No. 9 hitter Layne Schnoor went 2-for-3 with two runs scored. But the damage was done after the Eagles went up 5-0 after two innings.
“We played better than we have all year. It’s nice to know that we can score runs and hold them back in the beginning. It takes the pressure off,” Hamilton said.
Sterling 001 00 – 1 3 3
Broomfield 320 33 – 11 12 2
Sterling – Debus p 3-1-0-0, Becker 3b 3-0-0-0, Sullivan c 0-0-0-0, Scalva 1b 3-0-0-0, Giacomini ss 2-0-2-1, Mueller cf 2-0-0-0, Guerrero 2b 2-0-0-0, Buchholz rf 2-0-1-0, Boerner lf 1-0-0-0. Totals 18-1-3-1.
Broomfield – Diede ss 4-3-3-1, Stem cf 4-3-3-3, Anastos c 2-1-2-3, Hulbert dh 1-0-0-0, Hamilton p 3-0-1-1, Claxton 2b 2-0-1-1, Walters lf 3-0-0-0, Huff 2-0-0-0, Cooper dh 0-1-0-0, Frabrizio c 3-1-0-0, Schnoor rf 3-2-2-1. Totals 27-11-12-10.
E – Becker, Giacomini, Guerrero; Diede, Albrecht. LOB – Sterling 6; Broomfield 3.
Batteries – Debus, Giacomini (5) and Sullivan; Hamilton and Anastos, Frabrizio (4). W – Hamilton. WP – Hamilton. PB – Sullivan. 2B – Diede. 3B – Anastos 2, Stem. SB – Sullivan; Stem 2. Time – 1:23.
