After a tough defeat to Montrose on Aug. 23, the Durango High School softball team bounced back with two wins this week. The Demons are off to their best start since 2017 after their 4-3 win over Cedaredge on Friday.
The Demons improved to 5-1 overall and 0-1 in the 5A/4A Southwestern League after their win on Friday while Cedaredge dropped to 5-1 overall and 4-0 in the 3A Western Slope.
It was a back and forth contest between the Bruins and Demons; the game was tied 1-1 after three innings and 2-2 after four innings.
Durango took a 3-2 lead into the sixth inning, before Cedaredge tied the game, 3-3, in the top of the seventh.
Then, it was an anti-climatic ending for the Demons, according to Durango head coach Sara Clair. Junior Brooke Casias was up at the plate for the Demons in the bottom of the seventh and she got on base due to a bad throw to first and then a poor throw deep into Cedaredge’s dugout. Those errors allowed Casias to get all the way to third.
Once Casias was on third, sophomore Abigail Gordon was up to bat for the Demons. But, like Casias, she didn’t even get the chance to hit a walk-off. Cedaredge’s catcher tried to pick off Casias at third, but threw it deep into left field, allowing Casias to run home for the game winner.
Cedaredge’s three runs were the least amount of runs Durango has allowed this season. Senior Jenna Glueck pitched all seven innings for the Demons and finished with nine strikeouts, seven hits and walked three batters.
“Jenna obviously pitched a great game … something she's been working on is getting ahead in the count, staying ahead in the count and not walking as many batters,” Clair said. “But, at right field, Marcela Jimenez in one inning, she got all three of our outs … She hit the ball well, too. Right field has been a tough spot. Until today I could not find a consistent right fielder. Marcela all week worked really hard at practice, really stepped it up and earned that spot today.”
Jimenez was the team’s backup center fielder to begin the season. Then, everyone Clair put at right field struggled, before she put Jimenez there in practice on Wednesday.
Junior Avery Clair and sophomore Avery Jensen led the Demons with 2-3 performances at the plate against Cedaredge.
On Tuesday, the Demons recovered from a slow start against Montezuma-Cortez and picked up a 9-5 victory.
The Panthers led 2-0 after the first inning as the Demons came out slow and flat, according to Clair.
“I will give Cortez where credit's due,” Clair said. “They had some really hard-hit balls to our outfield that we could have or should have, made plays on that we weren't and it gave them opportunities. Then finally, in that third inning, we kind of got it together.”
Durango outscored Montezuma-Cortez 3-2 in the third to tie the game, 4-4. Then, the Demons outscored the Panthers 5-1 in the fourth to take a 9-5 lead. The game was called after the top of the sixth inning due to lightning.
Glueck pitched all six innings and struck out eight batters, allowed eight hits and walked three batters. Gordon finished the game 2-4 at the plate. Avery Clair showed her power with a two-run home run. Durango’s opponents are starting to game plan against Avery’s power. She’s been intentionally walked four times, according Clair.
The Demons face a real tough test on Sept. 6 at home with a doubleheader against Grand Junction. The Tigers finished last season 14-11 overall and beat Durango twice, 14-4 and 15-2.
Clair said the upcoming week will be focused on continuing the strong defense the Demons played against Cedaredge.
bkelly@durangoherald.com
