Arvada – Wheat Ridge did not lose its nerve in a tight game Tuesday against Jefferson County League rival Arvada West. But Giana Zimmerman admitted to a few nervous moments.
Zimmerman, a junior pitcher for the Farmers, struck out 14 batters in a one-hit performance, and her leadoff double in extra innings nudged Wheat Ridge past Arvada West 1-0 in nine innings in a Class 5A league game at Lutz Fields.
Wheat Ridge (8-2 overall, 2-0 in Jeffco), the 5A state champions in 2002 and 2003, survived four infield errors and benefited from some Arvada West (7-2, 0-1) mistakes late in the game.
Zimmerman’s anxious moment came in the bottom of the eighth inning when Arvada West sophomore Mikey Kenney, who crushed a home run in this park against Highlands Ranch this season, ripped a shot to deep left field. It looked like the ball would clear the head of outfielder Kyla Nelson, but Nelson got a great jump on the ball and made the overhead grab running toward the fence.
“My heart just stopped. I was just like, ‘What am I going to do?’ And then Kyla caught it and I was so pumped. I was so ready to get a hit,” Zimmerman said.
Nelson’s catch ended the eighth inning, and Zimmerman led off the ninth with a slicing double that dropped just inside the right-field line.
Alaina Larson laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Zimmerman to third, and then Alyssa Zimmerman hit a slow roller through the legs of Arvada West shortstop Megan Johnson to score her sister Giana.
Wheat Ridge 000 000 001 – 1 4 4
Arvada West 000 000 000 – 0 1 2
Wheat Ridge – Fields cf 4-0-1-0, Percell ss 4-0-1-0, G. Zimmerman p 4-1-1-0, Larson 1b 3-0-1-0, A. Zimmerman 3b 3-0-0-1, Nelson rf 3-0-0-0, Iacino 2b 2-0-0-0, Sivetts lf 3-0-0-0, Hickey c 3-0-0-0, Mickelson dh 1-0-0-0. Totals 30-1-4-1.
Arvada West – Johnson ss 3-0-1-0, Baker rf 3-0-0-0, Kramer p 3-0-0-0, Kenney cf 3-0-0-0, Wambeke 3b 3-0-0-0, Kauffman c 4-0-0-0, DeLorenzo dh 4-0-0-0, Grubbs 1b 3-0-0-0, Tani lf 3-0-0-0. Totals 29-0-1-0.
E – A. Zimmerman 2, Percell, Iacino; Johnson, Grubbs. LOB – Wheat Ridge 6; Arvada West 6. 2B – G. Zimmerman. SB – Bauler, AW. DP – Arvada West. Batteries – G. Zimmerman and Hickey; Kramer and Kauffman. W – G. Zimmerman (3-1). L – Kramer (4-1). WP – G. Zimmerman 2. PB – Hickey. HBP – Johnson, AW, by G. Zimmerman. SAC – Larson, Nelson. Time – 2:07.
