Boulder Softball Outlasts Westminster 18-12 in Offensive Shootout to get to 9-6.
It was an offensive showcase at Boulder's home field on Thursday as the Panthers secured an 18-12 victory over Westminster in a game where the bats were hot from start to finish. Senior Ellie Jones was at the center of it all, going 5-for-5 and driving in four runs, including a three-run blast to center in the fourth inning that tipped the scales for Boulder.
Both teams combined for 29 hits in a game that had the crowd buzzing, with the Panthers piling up 19 of them to keep the pressure on the Wolves throughout the contest.
Recap:
Westminster jumped out to an early lead, putting three runs on the board in the first inning with contributions from Cynthia Rosales and Alexa Martinez. The Wolves added four more runs in the third, extending their advantage to 7-3 as Boulder struggled to find their rhythm early.
Then the bottom of the third came, and Boulder's lineup woke up. Ellie Jones sparked a rally with an RBI single, followed by a two-run triple from Annali Langenegger, and a pair of RBIs from Ria Ushakova and Lillian Vaughn. When the dust settled, Boulder had plated five runs to cut the deficit to 7-6.
The real turning point came in the bottom of the fourth. Jones stepped up and launched a three-run homer to deep center field, capping off a nine-run inning that flipped the game on its head. The Panthers jumped out to a 15-8 lead, and Westminster couldn't recover.
Pitching:
In the circle, Lillian Vaughn earned the win, coming in as relief to steady things for Boulder. Vaughn threw four and two-thirds innings, allowing five runs (two earned) on seven hits, with one strikeout and one walk. Sophia Pereira got the start.
Westminster's starter, Ryanne Martin, took the loss after surrendering 18 runs (10 earned) on 19 hits over six innings, striking out two.
Offensive Standouts:
• Ellie Jones: 5-for-5, 1 HR, 4 RBIs
• Annali Langenegger: 2 RBIs, triple
• Ria Ushakova: RBI single
• Olivia Hill, Sophie Jones, and Sophia Pereira: Multiple hits
Next Up:
The Panthers will look to carry their offensive firepower into their next matchup against Fort Lupton (9-5) tomorrow, September 21st. Boulder hits the road for an 11:00 AM game as they aim to build on this momentum and continue their strong run.
