Arvada – Despite playing under a new coach on a new, temporary field, it was the same old story for Arvada West’s softball team.
The six-time state champion Wildcats handled visiting Highlands Ranch 2-0 on Thursday at Lutz Fields behind one big swing of the bat by sophomore Mikey Kenney and a two-hit pitching effort from senior Cristy Grubbs.
Kenney broke open a scoreless game with a solo home run over the left-center field fence, and she saw the pitch coming the whole way.
“I saw it coming right down the middle, and I just felt really good when I swung the bat,” Kenney said.
It was the second win in as many games for Arvada West’s new coach, Stephanie Roberts, a former standout at Colorado State, and it was the Wildcats’ first home game of the young season. But this one wasn’t played on the high school’s home field, which is now a flattened construction zone, but just down the street at the Lutz Sports Complex.
It didn’t matter. Arvada West seemed to feel right at home.
Wildcats catcher Candice Kauffman went 3-for-3 with a double, and Kenney finished with two hits, two runs and an RBI. Grubbs, who looked in full control the entire game, recorded four strikeouts and forced 14 groundouts while scattering two singles that turned out to be harmless.
“They have some power hitters, but I see them in the summer and know how to pitch to them,” Grubbs said.
“Really, though, I don’t even look at who the batter is. I just try to hit my spots.”
The Highlands Ranch (1-1) batters took a few good cuts, including singles by all-everything Melisa Ryba and Kamee Vessey. But Vessey’s hit was followed by an inning-ending groundout, and Ryba was on base for only a moment before Jessy Berry grounded into a double play.
“We didn’t beat ourselves. (Grubbs) is a good pitcher and (Arvada West) is a good team,” Highlands Ranch coach Bruce Wright said. “We made some good plays defensively and took some runs away from them.”
Highlands Ranch 000 000 0 – 0 2 1
Arvada West 000 101 x – 2 7 0
Highlands Ranch – Ryba cf 3-0-1-0, Berry rf 3-0-0-0, Kai. Vessey ss 2-0-0-0, Kam. Vessey 2b 3-0-1-0, Stewart 3b 3-0-0-0, York p 2-0-0-0, Vagts dh 2-0-0-0, Verwoert c 1-0-0-0, Lopez lf 2-0-0-0. Totals 21-0-2-0.
Arvada West – Johnson ss 3-0-0-0, Kauffman c 3-0-3-0, Kramer 1b 3-0-0-0, Kenney cf 2-2-2-1, Grubbs p 2-0-1-0, Wambeke 3b 3-0-0-1, DeLorenzo dh 3-0-1-0, Baker rf 2-0-0-0, Tani lf 2-0-0-0. Totals 24-2-7-1.
E – Stewart. LOB – Highlands Ranch 2; Arvada West 5. 2B – DeLorenzo, Kauffman. HR – Kenney (solo in the fourth).
Batteries – York and Verwoert; Grubbs and Kauffman, Gray (6). W – Grubbs (1-0). L – York (0-1). WP – York. PB – Verwoert. HBP – Kai. Vessey by Grubbs.
