Arvada West junior Lucas Ciacco, right, tags out Bear Creek junior Kolby Bonato on what was an inning-ending double play in the bottom of the sixth inning Saturday afternoon at Bear Creek High School. The Wildcats took a 6-3 victory to improve to 3-0 in the 5A Jeffco League. (Dennis Pleuss)
LAKEWOOD — An unconventional double play got Arvada West out of a huge jam Saturday afternoon on the baseball field.
Bear Creek had rallied with five straight singles, scoring three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to close A-West’s lead to 4-3. With the bases loaded and just one out, a failed squeeze play turned into a double play to get the Wildcats out of the sticky situation.
“Everything shifted after that,” A-West coach Matt McDougal said of the inning-ending double play. “We came in and scored two runs right away. That kind of ended (Bear Creek’s) momentum.”
The Wildcats tacked on a pair of insurance runs in the top of the seventh inning, leading to an important 6-3 victory.
Arvada West senior John Badgett (8) leaps into the arms of junior Joe Kraus (9) after a double play in the sixth inning got the Wildcats out of a bases loaded jam against Bear Creek. (Dennis Pleuss)
“I knew we would get out of it someway, somehow,” A-West senior Allen Martin said of the near disastrous sixth inning. “You can’t be thinking the worst. You have to expect the best.”
The victory keeps A-West (9-5, 3-0) atop the 5A Jeffco League standings with Chatfield and Columbine. Bear Creek (8-6, 2-1) had its three-game winning streak snapped with the loss.
The Wildcats jumped out to an early 1-0 lead when Martin singled, stole second base and advance to third on a throwing error in the top of the first inning. Senior Brody Hagel-Pitt drove in Martin with a single.
A-West added three runs in the top of the fifth to gain a 4-0 advantage. A two-run double by Jesse Gonzales scored Martin and senior Ethan Fleming. Hagel-Pitt had his second RBI later in the inning.
“I feel really good about how we are hitting,” Martin said. “Some of us are coming off our skids.”
The Wildcats cranked out 13 hits and also took advantage of four errors by Bear Creek’s defense.
On the mound, starter Nick Priola was impressive giving up just two hits, but was taken off the mound with two outs in the bottom of the fourth inning. McDougal said it was tough to take out Priola, but a high pitch count and with three games next week was the reasons for the move.
“I was a little bit upset,” Priola admitted. “It’s always hard to be taken out when you feel like you are in the zone, but in the long run it’s smart.”
Senior Joe Rosenstein, John Badgett and Justin Mulvaney each took the mound for the Wildcats in the final innings.
Bear Creek third baseman Kolby Bonato (15) leaps in the air to snag a throw as Arvada West senior Justin Mulvaney slides in safe. (Dennis Pleuss)
Bear Creek sophomore Thomas Martinez took the loss on the mound. Martinez was solid through four innings, but allowed four straight hits to start out the fifth inning.
The Bears’ offense came alive late with the three-run sixth inning. Senior Rob Vance had a two-run single and sophomore Christian Hiep had an RBI single before the failed squeeze play with the bases loaded ended the inning.
A-West will prepare to go through the toughest part of its conference schedule next week. The Wildcats square off against Columbine (Monday), Ralston Valley (Wednesday) and Chatfield (April 26). All three of those 5A Jeffco teams are ranked in the top six of the latest CHSAANow.com 5A baseball poll.
“Earlier this season we talked about having to get to 3-0 (in league) going into this week,” McDougal said. “It’s about getting some momentum going. Now we get three really good teams in a row. If we play well I like our chances.”
Bear Creek heads to Ralston Valley on Monday before hosting Lakewood on Wednesday next week.
Arvada West senior Nick Priola fires to the plate Saturday against Bear Creek. Priola gave up just two hits and picked up the win on the mound for the Wildcats. (Dennis Pleuss)