Although the Greeley West Spartan softball team lost their first game of the year this week, they came back strong to get back to their winning ways. 

The Spartans fell short to No. 3 Roosevelt, 5-2, on Tuesday but then dominated Longmont 15-4.

The Spartans faced one of their toughest opponents this season, as Roosevelt was also undefeated at the time. The game was close until the fourth inning when Roosevelt scored 3 runs to put the game 4-1. Both teams were scoreless in the 5th then traded runs in the 6th making the score 5-2. With three outs remaining for the Spartans at the top of the 7th inning which the Roughriders closed out the game at home. Ellyse Hydock expressed their feelings and how the team felt going into the Roosevelt game.

“We were anxious; we really wanted to win,” Hydock said.  “We just went into it with the same mindset we had and it was just a different outcome,” Hydock said 

Agianst Longmont on Wednesday, they found their groove.  They tallied 11 hits with 14 RBI through 5 innings of play at home. Pitcher Lyana Martinez got the start striking out eight batters and giving up just three earned runs. Hydock said the Spartans’ play against Longmont was not a reaction to the Roosevelt game. ““I don’t think it affected us. I think we just just went into just wanting to win,” Hydock said.

Greeley West (8-1) has been dominating so far this season going 7-0 to start the season outscoring opponents by an average of 12 runs. They started the season off hot beating the Greeley Central Wildcats 19-0 and continued to dominate their opponents. They hope to go far into the playoffs this year after their loss in regionals. Senior Sara Ensinia expressed her hopes for this season and beyond. “We hope to make it back to regionals and win this year and at least get farther than we did last year. We have a lot of great newcomers and I feel like the team will get really really far,” Ensinia said.