Pomona junior Jenny Brock is labeled as one of the premier softball pitchers in the state, but she would’ve liked to have one throw to the plate back Thursday at Lakewood High School.
With the Class 5A Jeffco League game scoreless, Lakewood loaded the bases with one out. Lakewood’s Angie Watkins hit a slow dribbler in front of the plate that Brock charged to field.
“I tried hustling, and obviously I’m not up to full speed with my foot being the way it is,” Brock said of the play. “I shouldn’t have been in a rush, but I was and threw it over Q’s (Pomona catcher Stephanie Quintana’s) head.”
Christina Tricarico and Cassie McCullough both scored on the throwing error to give the Tigers a 2-0 lead. Lakewood went on to score three more runs in the inning to give the Tigers a 5-0 lead.
“That was amazing,” Lakewood’s starting pitcher Roxi DeLorenzo said of the five-run third inning. “Anytime we can utilize hits like that, they were little bloopers, and sometimes I don’t think those count, but what wins, wins.”
Pomona would attempt to rally in the top of the sixth inning with three runs, capped off by a two-run single by Jocylyn Martinez off DeLorenzo. However, Lakewood (8-3 overall, 2-1 in the league) was able to hold onto its lead and take a 5-3 victory.
McCullough came in to close the game on the mound for the Tigers in the top of the seventh and retired the side in order.
“I just had fun,” McCullough said of stepping into a closer role. “Any pitching time I can get I’m going to take it.”
While the Panthers only gave up the one big inning, it was all Lakewood needed.
“One inning can do it in this game. That was just an uncharacteristic inning for us,” Pomona coach Jim Biddle said of the third inning. “Pitching and defense has always been our strength. You’ve got to learn from that, and we will.”
The loss was the Panthers’ first in conference play. Pomona (9-3, 2-1) had just come off winning three of five games at the Rangeview Tournament without the services of Brock. The junior pitcher injured a muscle on the bottom of her right foot that held her out of the tournament.
Brock was cleared to pitch against Columbine on Sept. 14 and threw a 1-0 shutout victory.
“I’m going to physical therapy,” Brock said. “It’s not that big of a deal. If I have pain, I have to stop doing whatever is causing me pain. If I don’t have any pain, I’ll be OK.”
Biddle told his team that losing their standout pitcher for a few games might be a blessing in disguise.
“We know that if we don’t have Brock we’re probably going to have to score a few more runs to win,” Biddle said.
The Panthers will travel to Dakota Ridge for a 4 p.m. game today.