The Durango High School softball team’s bats came alive Friday against Battle Mountain in its home opener. The Demons scored three runs in the first inning, 11 in the second and nine in the third for a 23-7 win over the Huskies.
The Demons are now 2-8 overall, after going 0-5 at the Ponderosa Mustang Stampede, while Battle Mountain slid to 0-3.
“It was definitely a new start to the season,” said senior Alaysia Kremer. “It was really nice to see all of the girls work together, and we all had fun out there.”
A throwing error helped Battle Mountain take a 1-0 lead, but the Demons responded in the bottom of the first.
Molly Best hit a grounder to third to lead off for Durango and was able to reach third when the throw into the outfield. Best then slid home on a wild pitch to tie the game, 1-1.
Kremer walked and then Tehya Barnes and Cori Davis got hit by pitches. With the bases loaded, Ellie Casias smacked a 2-RBI single right on the left field line to give DHS a 3-1 lead.
Starting pitcher Grace Pargin got out of the second with no runs, thanks to put-outs from Barnes at shortstop and Mya Trujillo at third.
In the bottom of the second, two Kremer triples, two Cori Davis doubles and four stolen bases helped Durango plate 11 runs and blow the game open.
Karina Trujillo walked to start the inning, stole second and third and then scored on an errant throw. After Jenna Glueck walked, Kremer brought her home with a triple to the center field fence. Kremer eventually scored on a hard-liner hit at third by Barnes, and Barnes scored on a double down the line from Davis. Ellie Casias got plunked and then Grace Pargin singled in Davis to put DHS up, 8-1.
Trujillo came up to bat again and put the ball in play. Battle Mountain tried to get Davis at home on the play, but Davis was able to slide safely in to score. Best then beat a throw for an infield single and Kremer came up big again, smacking her second triple of the inning, this one to left, to score two.
“It was awesome,” Kremer said. “I felt great. The Ponderosa tournament helped me a lot for this type of pitching.”
Barnes then hit another RBI-single, and Davis smacked her second double of the inning, this one over the center fielder’s head, to bring home one more run and put DHS up 14-1 after two.
“Across the board, our hitting was fantastic,” said DHS head coach John Bernazzani.
Battle Mountain fought back and scored three in the top of the third, but Kremer, the team’s catcher, ended the inning by catching a pop-up in foul territory.
In the third, Durango sent 14 batters to the plate and scored nine runs.
Barnes and Kristianna Brann both hit two-RBI singles to highlight the inning for DHS.
The Huskies kept fighting and scored three more runs in the top of the fourth but were unable to close the gap enough to keep the game going and DHS scored its second win of the year.
“It was a much-needed win for our varsity,” Bernazzani said. “They worked hard all week in practice and it really picked up their spirits being the home opener.”
The coach also said he was impressed with Battle Mountain, a first-year program playing in just its third game.
“They came out and hit the ball,” he said.
And while the Demons played well, Bernazzani said the team’s “defense still needs work.”
The two teams will square off again at 10 a.m. Saturday at DHS.
“We’re doing better than at first,” Kremer said. “It was hard for the upper classmen to adjust to being the leaders, but it’s starting to come together and we’re seeing how we’ll play the next couple of games. I’m glad we were loud out thee and had some fun.”
