Aurora – Behind the red-hot pitching of Pueblo West senior right-hander Christie Zinanti, the commanding play of senior catcher Kayla Gruber and a seamless defense, the Cyclones won their second straight Class 4A state championship.
And they did it in style, too, by knocking off undefeated, top-seeded and three-time state champion Mullen 6-1 on Saturday afternoon at the Aurora Sports Complex.
“Our goal was to win state,” said Gruber, who punched a run-scoring single off Mullen junior right-hander Bianca Holley for the Cyclones’ first run. She drove in Amber Aragon for a lead the Cyclones never relinquished.
“We did it in steps,” said Gruber, who was in her first year behind the plate. “First, to win league, then districts and then state. We came up to do it and we did it.”
The Cyclones, who finished 20-4, also did it without coach Gib Satterlee, who had to stay home to nurse a bad back (rheumatoid arthritis). He missed the trip to state last year because of illness. Zinanti’s father, Bob Zinanti, an assistant coach, took over both times.
Satterlee was apparently there in spirit and, perhaps more important, on videotape.
“He made (one),” Bob Zinanti said. “He tells the girls what to work on, what to look for. It’s inspirational. He did it last year, too.”
Christie Zinanti, who finished the season 17-2, struck out nine Mustangs, walked one and gave up three hits, two of them doubles – a fifth-inning shot by Holley, a 6-foot-2-inch senior, and senior shortstop Abby Keese’s shot to right field in the sixth.
“She’s got four pitches,” Gruber said. “Fastball, rise, drop and changeup. She was pitching with a sore arm. She hurt the tendons (in her pitching arm) two weeks ago. She was hurting, and for her to come back as well as she did, that was awesome.”
Zinanti said her “drop and, pretty much, my fastball” were working. “I felt confident,” she said. “In the zone.”
The Cyclones tacked on two insurance runs in the top of the fifth. Senior shortstop Alex Schultz reached first base on a one-out bunt, stole second and reached third base on a passed ball. She made it 2-0 when Mullen second baseman Jordan Gonzales could not handle a grounder from center fielder Janean Jubic, who made it 3-0 by scoring on an infield error.
The Mustangs, who finished 24-1, scored their run in the bottom of the fifth inning. Holley, who struck out six Cyclones, led off with her double to right field. With one out and behind 0-2 in the count, senior catcher Anne Keeley drove in Holley with an RBI single to center field.
Mullen threatened in the sixth when Keese hit a two-out double to right. Senior Jessie Larson moved Keese over to third on a fielder’s choice that put runners on the corners. Zinanti, though, shut down the Mustangs by making Holley hit an infield grounder that was easily fielded for the inning-ending out.
4A MVP
Senior right-hander Christie Zinanti, throwing with a sore arm, led the Pueblo West Cyclones to their second straight state title over previously undefeated Mullen. She struck out nine Mustangs and came through with two run-scoring singles.
CHAMPIONSHIP
PUEBLO WEST 6, MULLEN 1
Pueblo West 001 020 3 – 6 7 0
Mullen 000 010 0 – 1 3 4
Pueblo West – Schultz ss 4-2-2-1, Jubic cf 4-2-0-1, Lagoni 3b 4-0-0-0, Gruber c 4-1-1-1, Zinanti p 4-0-2-2, Brown rf 3-0-0-0, Stevens 1b 3-0-0-0, Bradford lf 3-0-0-0, Aragon 2b 3-1-2-0, Kramer rf 1-0-0-0. Totals 33-6-7-5.
Mullen – Olson 3b 3-0-0-0, Haberkorn rf 3-0-0-0, Keese ss 3-0-1-0, Larson 1b 3-0-0-0, Holley p 3-1-1-0, Gonzales 2b 3-0-0-0, Kelly c 2-0-1-1, Martinez lf 3-0-0-0, Roberts cf 3-0-0-0. Totals 26-1-3-1.
E – Larson 2, Gonzales, Kelly. LOB – Pueblo West 6; Mullen 6. 2B – Reese, Larson. SB – Schultz; McMorris. SAC – Pueblo West 1.
Batteries – Zinanti and Gruber; Holley and Kelly. W – Zinanti (17-2). L – Holley.
SEMIFINALS
PUEBLO WEST 8, BROOMFIELD 2
Pueblo West 202 000 4 – 8 11 1
Broomfield 000 101 0 – 2 6 2
Zinanti and Gruber; Hamilton and Anastos. W – Zinanti (16-2). L – Hamilton. Highlights – Brown, PW, RBI single; Stevens, PW, RBI single.
MULLEN 4, CHEROKEE TRAIL 1
Mullen 001 300 0 – 4 9 0
Cherokee Trail 001 000 0 – 1 2 0
Holley and Kelly; Norte, Thorston (3) and Bails. W – Holley. L – Thorston. HR – Haberkorn, M, solo in second; Olson, M, one on in fourth. Highlights – Radcliffe, CT, single, run.
