It only took Montrose six innings to finish the Durango Demons’ softball team in Game 1 on Wednesday at Aspen Field on the Fort Lewis College campus.
But it took the Indians extra innings in Game 2.
“The first game, we just didn’t show up,” Durango High School first-year softball head coach Mike Cioppa said.
“The second game we really played softball.”
Montrose won Game 1 of a Western Slope doubleheader 11-1 on Wednesday, then beat DHS 6-3 in nine innings Game 2 for the sweep.
Montrose tallied runs in every inning Game 1 – two in the first, one each in the second and third, four in the fourth, one in the fifth and two in the sixth. The Indians outhit the Demons, who committed five errors, 10-4.
Augusta Brockus had two hits for the Demons, and Kaylee Kempinski and Mercedes Lashway had the other two hits.
Montrose jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning in Game 2, then was blanked for the next seven innings.
Durango rallied for one in the third and two in the fourth to tie.
Alexys Vidunas had two hits and a run batted in from the Demons’ leadoff spot, and Katrina Chandler had a hit and an RBI, and Katelyn DuLuche had a hit, an RBI and a run scored.
Danica Dudley scored a run, and Paige Mazur had two hits and a run scored for the Demons.
With a runner on second in the sixth, Brockus “hit a rocket” to the left of the Indians’ second baseman, who made the backhanded stab to retire Brockus and keep the game scoreless.
Montrose, which outhit the Demons 10-7 in Game 2, won it with three runs in the top of the ninth inning.
Durango committed four more errors in the loss.
Vidunas pitched Game 1.
Brockus pitched Game 2.
DHS (3-9, 2-9) will play out the remainder of its regular-season schedule at home – against Eagle Valley at 3 and 5 p.m. Friday, against Rifle at 10 a.m. and noon Saturday and against Montezuma-Cortez at 5 p.m. Tuesday. All five remaining games will be played at Aspen Field.
“We’ve got five games left; we’ll see what we’re made of,” Cioppa said.
heraldsports@durangoherald.com
