Skyhawks win battle against strong Bulldogs

Adam Candee

Tuesday, April 8, 2003 | 9:34 a.m.

Silverado's No. 2 pitcher showed Monday why the Skyhawks are the No. 1 team in town.

Kelly Griego retired the final 13 Centennial batters in order en route to a three-hit shutout and a 4-0 victory against the Bulldogs in a matchup of two of the city's best softball teams.

"We knew coming in here that if we beat them, we set the precedent," Silverado coach Dan Smith said. "I look at the future, and we'll probably see them again in a month and a half, maybe in the championship."

Be it top starter Morgan Miller or Griego, the Skyhawks appear to be in capable hands. Griego tossed a complete game, striking out six while walking three. Centennial did not have a baserunner after the third inning, and the Bulldogs reverted to their early season ways of struggling offense.

"Kelly Griego pitched one heck of a ballgame," Smith said. "We have a rotation and it was Kelly's turn. It was really a no-brainer."

The opportunistic Skyhawks backed their starter. Silverado (22-4) capitalized on two errors and two passed balls to grab control. The Skyhawks pushed across a run in the first inning before scoring three runs -- two unearned -- in the fifth.

Megan McPherson hit a leadoff double, moved to third on a sacrifice and scored on a passed ball to give the Skyhawks the early lead.

After a combination of Centennial errors and passed balls allowed two runs in the fifth, Cassie Koenig capped Silverado's day with an RBI bloop double to left field.

"We took advantage of their miscues," Smith said. "That's what this team is all built around -- take the chances when they are there and be aggressive."

Centennial wasted its best chance to score in the second inning. With runners at second and third with one out, Erica Dresel hit a grounder to Lindsey Pridgen at shortstop. Pridgen threw home and third baseman Liz Young tagged out Debruno in a rundown, and the Skyhawks escaped the inning as Young alertly fired to second to catch Heather Groves off base.

Shannon Crisp pitched a solid game in defeat for Centennial, allowing one earned run on seven hits, with five strikeouts and two walks in six innings.