Elite competition welcomed the Demons back to their home field at Durango High School on Saturday afternoon.
DHS had earned three consecutive victories going into Saturday’s home doubleheader against 5A/4A Southwestern League foe Grand Junction Central. That included an 18-6 victory Friday night at Alamosa before a trip home and a quick night sleep to prepare for the Warriors.
But the Demons had a bit of regression with defensive miscues Saturday. Paired with dominant pitching and a hard-hitting lineup from the Warriors, DHS was out of its depth in losses of 17-0 and 14-0.
“That’s a really good team,” DHS head coach John Bernazzani said of the Warriors. “After yesterday’s performance defensively, I think the girls know they weren’t their best today. It makes a big difference in how hard they hit the ball. Their pitching also was the best we’ve seen. The girls did make some adjustments. Our focus in the first game was to get a base runner and get a hit so they didn’t leave thinking they no-hit us. We accomplished a few of those small but valuable tasks, but we had a hard time getting the goose egg off the board in either game.”
Central (4-2, 3-0 SWL) received a one-hit shutout performance in the pitcher’s circle from sophomore Jenna Fraser in Game 1. In three innings, she struck out three and did not issue a walk. The lone Durango hit went to eight-hole hitter Bryn Valdez in the third inning with one out.
Kennedy Vis kept he strong pitching it going in Game 2 to earn the win. She struck out nine in five innings. She allowed five hits and didn’t walk a batter. DHS (3-6, 1-5 SWL) hit a few hard shots right at the Warriors, though a few soft hits fell into play.
“We got some young pitchers. Kennedy is a junior and Jenna is a sophomore, but their learning more and more every game,” Central head coach Scott Else said. “Jenna changed her speeds a lot and Kennedy tries to overpower some girls. They pitched really well today. I was really happy with their pitching.”
Sydney Flores took the loss in the circle for DHS. She wasn’t in her usual form in the outing, as she walked five and struck out one while she gave up seven hits. Of the 16 runs against her, 10 were earned. Sylvia Reyes finished the final two innings in the circle. She gave up one run on two hits and two walks. She struck out one.
Myah Arrieta led the Warriors at the plate all day. In Game 1, she belted a solo homer in the third inning. She also walked, singled and scored four times in the game, as she also reached on a DHS error. Catcher Kolbi Key went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored, while Kennedy Vis was 3-for-3 with an RBI and a run. The Warriors scored their 17 runs on only nine hits.
“We didn’t hit as well as I thought we would, but our defense has always been solid, so we fall back on that a little bit,” Else said. “Myah had a great day at the plate hitting int he two-spot today. She kept us alive most times.”
Arrieta kept it going in Game 2, as she went 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles, an RBI and two runs scored. Kayla Coleman went 2-for-4 with a double, a triple, two RBIs and a run. Vis added another double and three runs scored.
Alaysia Kremer had a two-hit game for DHS, as did Reyes. Flores dropped in the other Demons hit.
DHS committed five errors in Game 2 after four in Game 1. Bernazzani will hope to see that get corrected before a game Thursday against Alamosa. Bernazzani will try to make that a varsity doubleheader, as DHS has three games it can add to its schedule during an already shortened season. DHS could nearly double the length of the rest of its season if it can add three games with only four more left before the home final Sept. 21 against Montezuma-Cortez.
“If Alamosa is driving all the way out, we’re hoping for a doubleheader,” Bernazzani said. “We need to fill these three holes in our schedule. Those games need to happen, and there are Western Slope teams we can play until Oct. 3.”
jlivingston@durangoherald.com
