The Montezuma-Cortez softball team continued league play against Delta and Aspen last weekend, going 2-2 in the two doubleheaders.
The Lady Panthers opened against the Delta Panthers on Friday in a defensive battle that included just nine combined hits.
M-CHS trailed 3-0 after two innings, but plated three runs in the third to knot the contest. However, Delta scored the go-ahead run in the bottom of the fourth and both teams were scoreless for the remainder of the game as Delta hung on to win, 4-3.
“A couple of errors on our part led to that one run that they scored,” said M-CHS head coach Angelo Topaha. “But other than that they played a very good game.”
Errors were a problem for the Lady Panthers in the second game as well, as they finished with nine in a 12-2 loss.
They hung around again early, and trailed just 2-0 after three innings, but Delta got a grand slam from Lily Lockhart and a home run from Jenna Sutliff to score five runs in the fourth and five more in the fifth to win 12-2.
On Saturday, M-CHS traveled to Aspen for a doubleheader with the Skiers, and Topaha challenged his team.
“I told the girls it was up to them and what they want to do,” he said. “I told them that I can coach and tell them what to be mindful of what to work on, but after that it’s in their playing field.”
The Lady Panthers trailed 5-1 after two innings, but they roared to life, scoring nine runs in the third and continuing to score in each inning after to win 17-6.
Morgan Short finished 3 for 6 with a home run, 3 runs and 5 RBIs and freshman Alyssa Cornett went 3 for 5 with 3 hits and 3 runs.
Dannika Noyes pitched a complete game for the Panthers, allowing 11 hits, 3 walks and striking out four.
The M-CHS offense was even hotter in the second contest with Aspen.
Alyssa Cornett hit her first home run of the year, Alexis Cornett went 4 for 5 with 4 runs and 3 RBIs, Ahnna Higgins was 3 for 5 with a run and 3 RBIs and Presley Frost finished 2 for 5 with 3 runs and 6 RBIs as the Lady Panthers ran away with a 22-9 win.
“It goes on down the line and the girls’ confiendence levels continue to rise,” Topaha said of the offensive explosion. “As long as we’re staying hot with two or three girls in the batting lineup then that sparks things for the girls.”
Frost pitched a complete game in the run-rule shortened five-inning contest, finishing with four hits allowed, three earned runs, two walks and five strikeouts.
Topaha also said that the Lady Panthers played much better defensively, highlighting Maddy McAfee’s play at third base.
M-CHS (5-10, 2-6 3A Western Slope League) will finish out the regular season this weekend with doubleheaders Friday at Cedaredge (11-5, 7-1 WSL) and Saturday at Gunnison (2-14, 2-7 WSL).