Doherty had lost eight straight at home, but on Saturday they dropped down to 1-16 to make it nine. They came up short against the Pueblo East Eagles, falling 17-11. Even if the Spartans couldn't come away with the win, the high-scoring effort was a great turnaround for their hitters, which had struggled int the games prior.
Maddie Schiltz led a balanced group of hitters, going 3-for-5 with two stolen bases, two runs, and one triple. Laila Thurman also deserves some recognition as she hit her first triple of the season.
As for Pueblo East, the victory got them back to even at 11-11. The result was nothing new for the Eagles, who have now won seven contests by six runs or more so far this season.
On Pueblo East's side, Luciana Cervantes made a splash while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out seven batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs off two hits (and only one walk). Those seven strikeouts gave Cervantes a new career-high. She was also big at the plate, going 3-for-4 with four runs, two stolen bases, and one triple.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Emilee Hutchings, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with three runs, one triple, and one stolen base. Another player making a difference was Ana Gonzales, who went 3-for-5 with two stolen bases, two RBI, and one run.
Looking ahead, Doherty will venture away from home to face off against Widefield at 3:00 p.m. on Monday. The Gladiators will roll in looking for their eighth straight win, something the Spartans surely won't give up without a fight. As for Pueblo East, they will look to defend their home field on Tuesday against Pueblo Centennial at 7:00 p.m.
