Littleton – Libby Balogh required only one run to secure a pivotal Class 5A Jefferson County League victory Tuesday. But her Bear Creek teammates made sure Balogh got more than she needed.
Balogh recorded 13 strikeouts and scattered three hits in a complete-game, 9-0 shutout against Dakota Ridge on the Eagles’ field to give Bear Creek an important boost in the jam-packed Jeffco.
“We came off the (1-0) loss to Lakewood kind of hard, so I’m proud of the way the team came back and made a statement,” Balogh said.
Bear Creek (10-3 overall, 3-1 league) was one of seven Jeffco teams that went into Tuesday’s games with no more than one loss in league play. Starting with this game against Dakota Ridge (8-3, 1-2), No. 8 in The Denver Post/9News 5A poll, the Bears will face all of those other top teams during a brutal September stretch. But there was no better way for the Bears to start.
Not much offense was necessary, with Balogh controlling things from the pitcher’s circle. Sophomore Mallorie Sulaski gave Bear Creek the only run it needed with an RBI double in the third inning, and she finished 4-for-5 with three RBIs. The Bears exploded with a seven-run fifth inning highlighted by Kate Strobel’s two-RBI double and four Dakota Ridge errors to put the game out of reach.
The Bears did knock runners around the bases with five hits, but the Eagles missed routine plays in the infield, and two runs scored on wild pitches.
“We put the ball in play and they made a few errors, and this one just got away,” Bear Creek coach R.V. Dorothy said. “But I don’t think we are nine to nothing better than Dakota Ridge.”
Balogh, with an active delivery that includes a slap on the thigh with her glove to trigger her windup, did not give Dakota Ridge many chances. The Eagles’ best showing from the plate was Lexy Jacobson’s double to right field in the bottom of the seventh inning.
“(Balogh’s) a great pitcher. She’s a four-year starter on varsity, and she’s got incredible control of her rise ball and changeup. She had us off balance all day,” Dakota Ridge coach Dave Atencio said. “Jeffco is Jeffco. This is my 12th year coaching in this league, and it never changes.”
Bear Creek 001 070 1 – 9 15 3
Dakota Ridge 000 000 0 – 0 3 4
Bear Creek – Salazar lf 2-0-0-0, Atencio ss 5-2-2-0, Sulaski 1b 5-1-4-3, Pearson 3b 5-1-2-1, Strobel cf 3-1-2-2, Carlson c 4-1-1-0, Olmedo rf 3-0-0-0, Balogh p 3-0-0-0, Pucheco 2b 3-1-2-0, Romero lf 2-1-1-0, Sotiros dh 1-1-1-0, Hires dh 1-0-0-0, Starr dh 1-0-0-0. Totals 38-9-15-6.
Dakota Ridge – Enger lf 2-0-1-0, Clark cf 2-0-1-0, Ball c 2-0-0-0, Diehl p 2-0-0-0, Voorhorst ss 2-0-0-0, Foos 2b 2-0-0-0, Herrera rf 1-0-0-0, Campagnola 3b 1-0-0-0, Pfannenstiel 1b 3-0-0-0, Neff lf 1-0-0-0, Johnson c 1-0-0-0, Morrison ss 1-0-0-0, Stead dh 1-0-0-0, Jacobson rf 2-0-1-0, Anderson p 1-0-0-0. Totals 24-0-3-0.
E – Balogh 2, Atencio; Voorhorst 2, Ball, Foos. LOB – Bear Creek 10; Dakota Ridge 5. 2B – Sulaski, Strobel; Jacobson. SB – Pucheco; Clark. DP – Bear Creek. SAC – Strobel.
Batteries – Balogh and Carlson; Diehl, Anderson (6) and Ball, Johnson (7). W – Balogh (10-2). L – Diehl. WP – Diehl 2. Time – 1:39.
