The Greeley West Spartan softball team played their first State playoff game in over a decade today at Aurora Sports Park against Discovery Canyon, winning 8-5.
In the first inning, the Spartans hit first and set a precedent for what was to come, tallying two hits including a double to start the game. However, they left Madison De Vault on third.
In the bottom of the second inning, the Spartans battled adversity and conquered it. After allowing one run, pitcher Ellyse Hydock got out of a basees load, one-out jam with a force out at home and a strikeout to end the inning.
In the top of the third, the Spartans got their bats going. With the bases juiced, Hydock doubled to right field putting them ahead, 2-1. Hayden Atchley continued the inning with an infield fly ball that dropped in for a single to put the Spartans ahead by two runs. Hydock scored on a passed ball. The next at bat, Lucy Stenner-Roy hit a moonshot to deep right field to put the Spartans ahead 6-1.
In the next inning, Discovery Canyon was forced to pull their pitcher. The Spartans extended their lead to 8-1 on a hard grounder by Hydock with runners on second and third. The Spartans then left runners stranded on a fielder’s choice.
The Thunder tallied two runs in the sixth inning on a home run and tried to make it interesting in the bottom of the seventh, tallying two more runs with bases loaded and 1 out. Hydock then pitched two straight strikeouts to clinch the game.
Hydock continued to dominate in the circle, tallying 7 strikeouts.
The Spartans, whom improved to 21-6, have a regional rematch with Lutheran at 2:30 p.m. Lutheran defeated the Spartans last week to qualify as the higher seed. The Spartans qualified for state after going 2-1 in regionals. In regionals, the team won their first game in a nail biter against Rifle, 4-2. They then played 4th seed Lutheran losing in a disappointing 11-0. They then came back to clinch state, winning against Severance in a blowout 11-1.
