Official Site of the Corona Angels: Prep News: GAFFIN'S HOMERUN LAUNCHES LEGACY TOWARD STATE TITLE

Three late home runs at Barnes Softball Complex helped two-time defending state champion Legacy knock off 17th-seed Arvada West 9-2 for the Region 1 title. The game was a bit of a barn burner until the fourth inning, when Rainey Gaffin knocked out Legacy's first homer.

From that point, the No. 1 Lightning's offense was electric.

"The at-bat before I struck out, so I was really angry," said the Lightning right fielder, whose homer scored two runs. "I just told myself I had to get the hit, relaxed and got it."

After Gaffin put Legacy (18-0-1) on the board, West (14-8) went on to surrender two more home runs in the next two innings.

Second baseman Melissa Marcoveccio put the finishing touches on Legacy's big hitting in the sixth with a solo shot to center field. But it was Buggs Torrez who did the most damage when she found the sweet spot in the fifth.

The hard swinging catcher broke the game wide open with a three-run shot to left field that gave her team a commanding 6-0 lead. After such competent batting late in the game, it was hard to believe the team only had one hit before its first home run.

"This was a good time for us to get challenged," Legacy coach Dawn Gaffin said. "They need to understand that everybody is going to come out looking to beat you, because that will be something to brag about."

Legacy might have taken some time to warm up on offense, but the Wildcats never came close to finding a rhythm at bat. Shelby Babcock was her usual unflappable self in a game in which she set another pitching milestone.

The University of Arizona-bound pitcher collected her 900th high school career strikeout in the fifth inning. Babcock hit the mark against Hayley McKnight, the eighth of her 11 strikeouts in the game.

The senior's numbers might have made the game look like a cake walk, but Babcock had to invest a lot of herself in the win. Working with a small strike zone, the pitcher had to put it down the pipe to get the strikes.

The tight calls led to close ones for Babcock, such as the fourth when she loaded the bases off walks.

"But her getting out of the inning without allowing a run just goes to show her fortitude on the mound," coach Gaffin said. "She didn't even get rattled."

Legacy beat 32nd-seed Westminster (11-7) 9-0 in the opening round of the regional tournament. The team will play No. 16 Grandview at 10 a.m. Friday at Aurora Sports Park in the first round of the state tournament.

The Lightning are going for the first three-peat as champions in 5A history.

Box Score

Legacy 9, Arvada West 2

Score by innings:

Arvada West 000 002 0 -- 2 3 4

Legacy 000 333 x -- 9 10 0

Trujillo, Harmer and Haugum; Babcock and Torrez. W -- Babcock. L -- Trujillo.

Arvada West hitting -- Worth 0-4, Carter 0-3, DeLorenzo 0-2, Haugum 1-3, Harmer 0-1, Oury 0-2, Swanberg 1-3, McKnight 0-3, Wilbak 1-3.

Legacy hitting -- Marcovecchio 2-4, Rodriguez 0-3, Mattila 1-4, Babcock 3-4, Torrez 1-3, Ball 1-4, Gaffin 1-4, Madsen 0-3, Prince 1-3.

2B -- Mattila. HR -- Gaffin (two run, fouth), Torrez (three run, fifth), Marcovecchio (solo, sixth).