Gunnison softball takes two from Meeker

The Gunnison High School softball team improved to 7-12 last week with a sweep of Meeker in their double-header on Saturday, Sept. 26.

The two teams met for two league games on Saturday in Gunnison with the Gunnison Cowboys getting the better of the Meeker Cowboys in two straight games.

Gunnison won the first game 13-12 in walk-off fashion behind a three-run seventh inning.

Meeker got out to an early 2-0 lead after the first, but Gunnison tied the game with two runs in the second. Meeker added five in the third and three in the fourth though and extended their lead to eight runs. 

Gunnison once again closed the gap, scoring seven in the fifth to make the score 10-9. Meeker scored two in the sixth while Gunnison added one to make the score 12-10 heading into the seventh. 

Gunnison held Meeker scoreless in the seventh and then tacked on three runs in the home half of the final frame to walk-off Meeker and take game one.

The girls finished with 11 hits and committed six errors in the game.

Josie Vollendorf, Victoria Crown, Susan Espinoza and Lauren Cowan all had two hits in the game and Vollendorf and Espinoza combined for five RBIs. Reese Japuntich, Cameron Leonard and Brynn Romero each had a hit and three combined for four RBIs.

On the mound, Japuntich pitched a complete game, giving up 12 runs (five earned) on eight hits, walking six and striking out eight. She threw 119 pitches and held the Meeker batters to a .267 batting average.

Later that day, the two teams faced off once again. Gunnison won the second matchup 19-12 to sweep the double-header.

Both teams scored a run in the first inning, but Gunnison took a 5-1 lead with four runs in the second. Meeker answered with six of their own in the third, but Gunnison made it 10-7 with five more runs.

Over the next three innings, Gunnison outscored Meeker 9-4 and, heading into the seventh, the score was 19-11. Gunnison held Meeker to just one run in the seventh inning and won the game.

The girls finished the game with 11 hits and committed six errors in the second straight game.

Cowan led the team with three hits and two RBIs, McKayla Singer had two hits and four RBIs, Romero had two hits and three RBIs and Leonard and Vollendorf each had one hit and two RBIs. Crown and Espinoza also finished with a hit each in the game.

Japuntich pitched another complete game, giving up 12 runs (seven earned) on 13 hits, walking two and striking out six on 100 pitches.

“We were very patient with our at-bats,” wrote head coach Leslie diLorenzo in an email to the Times. “The girls went deeper into counts and were able to wait for the pitch that they liked.”

Up next, Gunnison will host Cedaredge (10-5) on Tuesday, Sept. 29, and then travel to Montezuma-Cortez (10-6) to play a double-header on Saturday, Oct. 3. The Cowboys previously lost to Cedaredge 14-2 earlier this season.