MARK REIS, THE GAZETTE

Palmer High School Softball player Kaylene Ross is The Gazette's Peak Performer for Tuesday, September 18, 2012. Photo by Mark Reis, The Gazette

This week's Peak Performer: Kaylene Ross, Palmer softball

September 17, 2012 10:28 PM

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JUSTIN SHAW

THE GAZETTE

OTHER STANDOUT PERFORMANCES FROM THE PAST WEEK:

FOOTBALL, Morris Gilbert, Mesa Ridge
Gilbert totaled 97 yards of offense and scored three touchdowns in a 48-3 win over Air Academy. He also added nine tackles on defense to help the Grizzlies improve to 2-1.

VOLLEYBALL, Alexa Smith, Lewis-Palmer

In three wins over Liberty, Pine Creek and Coronado in the last week, Smith totaled 67 kills, 45 digs and 10 blocks to help the Rangers to an 8-2 record.

BOYS’ GOLF, Christian Monett, Florence and Trevor Hunt, Manitou Springs

The pair tied for third in the Tri-Peaks League final standings, which was tops among local golfers.

BOYS' CROSS COUNTRY, Clayson Shumway, Liberty

Shumway won his division at the Liberty Bell Cross Country Invitational with a personal record time of 15:32.90.

GIRLS’ CROSS COUNTRY, Ali Deitsch, Palmer Ridge

Deitsch won her division at the Liberty Bell Cross Country Invitational with a personal record time of 18:31.70.

BOYS’ TENNIS, Jeremiah Hansen, CSCS

The freshman No. 1 singles player defeated Pueblo West’s Colin Casias 6-1, 6-2 and Mitchell’s Chyra Larkin 6-0, 6-1 to improve to 6-0 on the season.

BOYS’ SOCCER, Austin Ramos, Manitou Springs

The junior midfielder scored three goals and added an assist in two wins for the Mustangs against Mitchell (3-2) and Fountain Valley (4-0). Manitou Springs is on a four-game winning streak.

The Palmer softball team is already one win away from its total count from the 2011 season. Much of the credit has to go to pitcher Kaylene Ross.

The senior has won five consecutive starts and the Terrors have won six in a row and sit at 9-3.

“Kaylene is on a roll; she has been a starter for four years and she understands the game and is mentally strong,” Palmer coach Steve DeFelice said. “I feel that when she pitches we can take on anybody.”

The biggest highlight of Ross’ current streak came when she shut out Cheyenne Mountain 9-0 on Sept. 13. The win included seven innings of five-hit ball with seven strikeouts and no walks.

“That game is definitely up there as one of my best ever,” Ross said of finally beating the Indians.

In her last five starts Ross has 25 strikeouts, five walks and a 2.36 ERA. She is also batting .382 with a .647 slugging percentage on the season.

“It’s been a great time and this team has no weak spots in the lineup; knowing the team has my back when I’m on the mound is big,” said Ross, who hopes to play college softball somewhere in-state and study to be a nurse. “We are a playoff-level team and I think we are one of the top contenders in our league right now.”

DeFelice noted that his star hurler’s improvement has come through experience.

“She has matured and she is able to separate parts of the game,” he said. “When Kaylene is on the mound she isn’t worried about what happened the last time she hit or anything else; she’s only thinking about pitching.”

But just because she’s focused while she’s on the mound she still loves picking up the bat as well.

“Hitting is one of my favorite parts of the game,” she said. “There’s this stigma that pitchers can’t hit, which is ridiculous. You have to do whatever you can to help your team win.”