Beneath a blood red sun in the smoky mountain air, the Silver Creek softball team went to work on Wednesday afternoon. The Raptors have been on fire lately. Winning their last eight games by an average of more than 10 runs, they have yet to lose a game in-conference (7-0). But if they want to claim an NCAC crown and an automatic bid to the postseason tournament, they will have to beat two of the better teams in the state in less than 48 hours.
Mead (7-1) plays at Silver Creek at 4 p.m. today. Then the Raptors head to Broomfield Saturday for an 11 a.m. game against Holy Family (7-0). While a conference title is everyone’s goal, all three teams may be invited to compete in the state championship tournament next week.
“I’ll take it one step further,” Silver Creek head coach Ryan Beavers said before practice Wednesday. “Not only are us three deserving of getting in but Windsor and Erie are, too. I wouldn’t want to play Windsor in state and they’re in the fifth slot. We’re definitely not comfortable at all. There’s work to be done.”
After starting the abridged 2020 softball season with 14 straight wins, the Mead Mavericks on Tuesday marked their first loss of the year — 15-0 to Holy Family. The loss gives Mead no margin for error heading into today's game on the west side of Longmont. Silver Creek lost a heartbreaker on Sept. 1 at Mead, 4-3 in 11 innings. The early season game was not considered an official conference contest, however, and the Raptors haven’t lost since.
“The last game we played them, it went to extras,” Beavers said. “Lots of mistakes on both team’s sides that gave both teams an opportunity to win it. We catch a pop-up, that game goes another inning. Sometimes, when you’re undefeated and get a loss it’s refreshing in a way. I don’t really factor in any of that. We’re just going to focus on what we’re going to do.”
Each squad will draw its ace this afternoon as Mead sophomore sensation Joslynn Veltien (10-1, 2.44 ERA) takes on Silver Creek senior Maddie Kuehl (7-4, 2.97 ERA) in the pitcher's circle. Kuehl was recovering from an injury early in the season and the Raptors began the year 2-4. But both her and her team are now playing well at the right time. Kuehl also is the Raptors’ best hitter and has seven home runs in just 40 at-bats.
Conducting a season during a pandemic presents it’s challenges. Rosters were expanded to 15 players this week, after teams were only allowed to let 12 students in each dugout during previous games.
“You’re playing anywhere from 18 to 23 kids on varsity a year and now you have to pick among your practice squad of which 12 will suit up,” Beavers said. “It handcuffs your ability for growth. That’s what’s been weird about it for me, more than anything.”
Instead of the normal 32 teams competing in regionals and then the state finals, only 16 schools will be represented in this year’s postseason. Beavers hopes his Raptors are one of those teams but he knows some good squads won’t even get a chance.
“If you look at that Erie game the other night we played, tThe final score was 9-4, which looked a little lop-sided,” Beavers said. “But at any point in that game, if we don’t make a couple plays here and there, that game’s going the other way and Erie’s beating us 9-4.”
