The Legacy softball team is doing it again. The Lightning are 5-0 in league (8-4 overall) and are on a five-game winning streak. In the last five games, they have outscored opponents 42-5. They have shut out three teams, including a game against Poudre Sept. 21 at Legacy High School.
The Lightning tallied 11 runs against the Impalas and had 16 hits compared to Poudre’s two. Pitcher Haley Smith struck out nine batters, walked two and went 2-for-3 at the plate. Head coach Dawn Gaffin said this game was Smith’s third game in three days.
“She’s really impressed me, because of her stamina,” Gaffin said. “She’s stone cold on the mound, you can’t read her emotions. She’s coming in and doing a great job for Legacy.”
Legacy scored five runs in the fourth inning, which started with a walk from junior Alyssa Geist. Freshman Katelyn Kubitschek had a double, and then Smith singled, bringing home both Geist and Kubitschek.
Sophomore Kamryn Brothers singled, and senior Shania Leon had an RBI when she brought Smith home after hitting a double. Brothers and Leon crossed home plate after junior Celyn Whitt hit a double.
“I think the whole team is doing awesome,” Smith said. “I think we’ve come very far from the beginning, the non-conference games to league. We’ve had a ton of players step up to fill big shoes. If we just keep going at this rate, we’re doing good.”
The Lightning scored three runs in the second inning and one run in the third, making the score 9-0 going into the sixth inning.
Kubitschek was the first batter in the inning and took a walk to first base. After Smith singled, freshman Emily Taggart doubled, scoring both Kubitschek and Smith, forcing the mercy rule.
Gaffin said one of the Lightning’s goals is to score three runs in the first inning and then one every inning thereafter.
“Just trying to figure the pitchers out,” Gaffin said. “It’s just about that time, we’ve been through the lineup, and it’s a matter of getting up there and focusing. They have analyzed the pitcher enough they know what to do.”
Brothers went 3-for-3 with two hits and one RBI. Gaffin said Brothers was brought up from JV for the game against Poudre, since she is a left handed hitter. Although Poudre didn’t play its usual pitcher, who has trouble against lefties, Brothers still played well against pitcher Myah Boehnke.
Gaffin said the training at the earlier level is the reason why the younger classmen are successful.
“Our program has great coaches so they’re building them down at the JV level to step right in if we need them to step right in,” Gaffin said.
Legacy hopes to continue its winning streak Sept. 26 against Loveland at home. Even though the team has been doing well and winning, Smith said they are always looking to develop its skills.
“We’ve had some good learning experiences, and we’ve grown from those,” Smith said. “We still have some stuff to work on. We will always try to be improving.”
