CATS CLAIM CROWN
Fossil Ridge wins 5A title
AURORA » Nikki McGaffin leaped into the outstretched arms of teammates on Saturday to complete an improbable 10- month journey from spinal surgery to Class 5A state softball champion.
The Fossil Ridge junior with flowing blonde hair and a devastating fastball lit the celebration fuse at Aurora Sports Park with a seventh- inning strikeout against Cherokee Trail to give the SaberCats a 5- 1 victory and the school’s first state title in softball. McGaffin laid beneath a dogpile of teammates to erase Fossil Ridge’s postseason demons and establish herself as arguably Colorado’s top prep pitcher in 2020.
The SaberCats, under the direction of head coach Dave Philop, were state runnersup in 2019, 2017 and 2014. They had reached the Final Four in seven of the past eight seasons.
Now, a new descriptor for the program: Champions.
“It feels great,” McGaffin said. “I think all of us had it in the back of our mind that we wanted to do it for Dave because he’s just such a great coach. … Both of us to have such a successful moment together really meant a lot.”
Added Philop: “I’m getting pretty old here. You don’t know if you’re ever going to win one. It’s neat, but you still do this for the kids, as much as it’s satisfying for myself, too, and my family.”
Fourth- seeded Fossil Ridge ( 17- 3) faced an early uphill climb against Cherokee Trail ( 17- 3), the surprise 10th- seed to reach the final. McGaffin gave up hits to her first two batters and CT established a 1- 0 lead when an RBI single from junior Brooke Scott scored junior Ryleigh Cruz.
Fossil Ridge never lost faith in its starting righthander — whose perseverance is well established. McGaffin said she underwent spinal surgery in mid- December that kept her off the field for six months and that she is “almost 100 percent back.” The challenge proved motivating.
Throughout the season, during important moments on the mound, she’d curl her arm and tap her shoulder.
Translation: “We came back this year with a chip on our shoulder,” McGaffin said.
That swagger paid dividends Saturday. McGaffin shut down CT’s lineup after the first and allowed only one base runner over her final three innings. Fossil Ridge’s infield also turned two double plays.
“I just love to watch that young lady pitch,” Philop said. “She’s competed from the first day that we ever saw her as a freshman in our program. It’s just the way she plays. She really became a leader on the mound. … Her competitive desire is what carries us.”
The comeback effort gave McGaffin her 17th win on the year with a sub- 2.00 ERA.
“In the first inning they jumped on me, but I stayed to the same game plan and worked my fingers,” McGaffin said. “I gave up some speed to work my spin. My defense worked great behind me. It just came out in our favor.”
Fossil Ridge broke the game open with the four- run fourth inning. Junior Bella Forbes tabbed an RBI infield single to tie the game before a bases- loaded walk from
CT junior pitcher Jenna Medhus gave the SaberCats a 2- 1 lead. Then junior Elizabeth Browning cranked a two- out, two- run single to put Fossil Ridge up 4- 1.
A solo homer in the fifth from sophomore Kodi Alvord gave the Sabercats a 5- 1 cushion that Philop called “gigantic” in securing the victory.
“The best feeling in the world,” Alvord said. “We just played our hearts out.”
The player sentiment to win the title for Philop was strong as Fossil Ridge players hoisted the trophy on Saturday. Their coach welled up with emotion discussing his team’s long journey to finally winning it all.
“That almost makes you cry,” Philop said. “It just tells you how truly blessed you are to have a bunch of young ladies that play that hard for you.”