Arvada – In replacing ace pitcher Jen Brock, who led Pomona to a Class 5A runner-up finish last season, Jordyn Randolph and Sam Hunnel realized the pressure was on them.
Pomona coach Jim Biddle has alternated the two effectively, but Randolph, a sophomore, may have earned the No. 1 designation with Thursday’s 2-1, four-hit victory over seventh-ranked Columbine in a battle of unbeatens in Jefferson County League play.
“She showed her mettle today; she’s a tough kid,” Biddle said of Randolph, who struck out six and pitched out of a bases-loaded situation with two out and the game tied 1-1 in the top of the fifth inning.
Randolph (6-0) said she was spurred by the challenge of facing Columbine sophomore ace Kelsey O’Brien, who came into the game having worked all but three of her team’s innings in a 9-1 start, for a 0.24 ERA and 105 strikeouts.
“I wanted to show everyone I could do it,” said Randolph, who retired the first nine batters before allowing an unearned run in the fourth.
O’Brien, who gave up one earned run on five hits with 10 strikeouts, was sharp early but could not overcome Pomona’s Ashli Holland, who went 2-for-3 with two RBIs for the fifth-ranked Panthers, giving her 13 RBIs for the season.
Holland got a bit lucky in the fifth when her bloop single fell in front of Columbine left fielder Chelsea Tritz. The two-out hit scored Hunnel.
“I should’ve made somebody else beat us,” said first-year Columbine coach Robin Ortiz, ruing that he did not intentionally walk Holland.
Biddle did not disagree, adding Holland is “arguably the best player in the state.”
Columbine scored on a throwing error by Pomona shortstop Megan Hamilton. A passed ball put O’Brien on second. After a flyout, Hamilton made a nice play on a grounder but overthrew first base.
Columbine loaded the bases with two out in the fifth on two bunt singles – the second off the tip of Randolph’s glove – and an error by first baseman Hunnel on another bunt. But Randolph got O’Brien to pop up to the catcher.
Columbine 000 100 0 – 1 4 1
Pomona 001 010 x – 2 5 2
Columbine – Duncan dh 3-0-1-0, Barbour rf 2-0-1-0, O’Brien p 3-1-0-0, A. Williams cf 3-0-1-0, Matthies 1b 3-0-0-0, Boyle c 3-0-0-0, Steele 2b 3-0-0-0, Walen ss 2-0-0-0, Bond ph 1-0-0-0, Carpinello 3b 3-0-1-0, Tritz lf 0-0-0-0. Totals 27-1-4-0.
Pomona – Holland 3-0-2-2, Booco 3b 3-0-0-0, Hamilton ss 3-0-1-0, M. Jones cf 3-0-1-0, Martinez rf 3-0-0-0, Winters c 3-0-0-0, M. Williams 2-0-1-0, Hemlock pr 0-1-0-0, Hunnel 1b 1-1-0-0, Malone dh 2-0-0-0, Randolph p 0-0-0-0. Totals 23-2-5-2.
E – Steele, Hamilton, Hunnel. LOB – Columbine 6, Pomona 4. 2B – A. Williams, Holland. SB – Hamilton, M. Jones. SAC – Hunnel. Batteries – O’Brien and Boyle; Randolph and Winters. W – Randolph (6-0). L – O’Brien (9-2). WP – O’Brien. PB – Winters. Time – 1:45.
