WHEAT RIDGE — It’s hardly a secret that Elle Madsen can rake, a concept validated by her designation as an all-Colorado outfielder as a freshman and sophomore.
But foes beware: The Wheat Ridge junior might be just as good in the pitching circle.
Madsen probably won’t file away Tuesday as her favorite performance of the season, but she was dominant nonetheless in the No. 3 Farmers’ 7-4 win against top-ranked D’Evelyn at Eric Larson Field.
“Elle’s been sick this week, so we hoped she had seven innings in her,” Wheat Ridge coach Marty Stricklett said. “She did her job. She had 13 strikeouts, and she put the team on her back.”
The Class 4A Jefferson County League opener was a rematch of last season’s state championship, also won by Wheat Ridge, and likely will flip the teams in the rankings.
Madsen allowed only one earned run and entered the seventh ahead 7-2 before surviving a late D’Evelyn comeback that began with an error. While Tuesday’s effort was impressive, a look at Madsen’s entire body of work this season gives a clearer indication of how she’s settled in: 10-1 with an 0.97 ERA (and only 17 total runs allowed in 11 starts).
“It’s been a pretty hard transition, but I can deal with it,” said Madsen, who also has four home runs and 16 RBIs this season.
The Jaguars (4-3) figured to be boosted by the return of ace Holly Reinke from a back injury but, despite 11 strikeouts from the junior, were undone by two key overthrows that resulted in three runs.
“They’re a good team, but it’s just frustrating,” Reinke said. “Every single year beating them is our goal, and that’s what we practice for.”
Wheat Ridge received a two-run single from Kristen Wall to cap a three-run first, then cashed in off-the-wall RBI doubles from Brennan Wilkie in the third and Kayla Mathewson in the fourth.
Reinke and Kendal Bergman had two hits apiece for the Jaguars. After that RBI double, the game concluded on (what else?) a Madsen strikeout.
“I guess second place in league is our goal now,” Reinke said.
D’Evelyn 000 101 2 — 4 8 2
Wheat Ridge 301 102 x — 7 8 2
D’Evelyn — Dille 3b 3-0-0-0, Rold ph 1-0-0-0, McKenna 4-1-1-0, Reinke p 3-0-2-1, C. Porter cr 0-1-0-0, Bergman 1b 4-1-2-1, Day 2b 4-0-1-1, Porreco rf 3-0-0-0, S. Porter cf 3-0-1-1, Nicholson c 3-0-1-0, E. Wilson cr 0-1-0-0, M. Wilson lf 2-0-0-0. Totals 29-4-8-4.
Wheat Ridge — Mathewson cf 3-2-2-1, Madsen p 4-1-1-0, Duncan 2b 3-1-0-0, B. Wilkie c 3-1-1-1, Wall dh 3-0-2-2, Barela 3b 2-0-0-0, M. Wilkie 1b 3-1-1-0, Haiges ss 3-1-1-0, Trengove rf 3-0-0-0, Sanchez lf 0-0-0-0. Totals 27-7-8-4.
E — Dille 2, Haiges, Barela. LOB — D’Evelyn 7, Wheat Ridge 6. 2B — Bergman, Mathewson, B. Wilkie. SB — C. Porter, B. Wilkie, Haiges. SAC — Barela.
Batteries — Reinke and Nicholson; Madsen and B. Wilkie. W — Madsen (10-1). L — Reinke (1-1). T — 1:52.
