More photos. (Jack Eberhard/JacksActionShots.com)
DENVER — Rocky Mountain is sitting pretty as the Class 5A state baseball championship series enters its final day.
The Lobos ran their winning streak to 17 games with a come-from-behind 8-6 victory Friday against Cherry Creek in the first of two 5A games at All-City Field. Rocky Mountain (20-5 record) eliminated the Bruins (19-6) from the tournament. More importantly for the Lobos they stayed undefeated in the double-elimination tournament.
Rocky Mountain continues its quest for its first state baseball title since its four-peat from 2007 to 2010 at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 24, back at All-City Field. The Lobos will face Regis Jesuit (21-4). The Raiders would have to defeat Rocky Mountain twice Saturday for Regis to capture its first state baseball title since winning in 2011.
Rocky Mountain junior Garrett Hammer (18) watches his two-run home run clear the fence at All-City Field on Friday in the first inning. More photos. (Dennis Pleuss)
If Regis defeats Rocky Mountain in the 10 a.m. game the second game Saturday would start shortly after the conclusion of the morning game.
“You don’t want to say ‘relaxed,’” Rocky Mountain senior Trevor Thomas said of the Lobos’ mentality being in the driver’s seat. “We are still going to play a really good team. We’ll go out there and play as hard as we can.”
Thomas got Rocky Mountain’s offense going early against Cherry Creek. The Lobos’ designated hitter had a two-out, two-run single in the first inning to get Rocky Mountain on the board. Junior Garrett Hammer proceeded to follow with a two-run home run, giving the Lobos a 4-0 lead.
Cherry Creek chipped away and took a 5-4 lead in the top of the fourth inning on a successful squeeze bunt by senior Sean Robinson.
Bruins junior Cody Wood pitched well after a rough first inning.
“After that first inning I thought we could just repeat and repeat, but you have to hand it to their pitcher (Wood),” Thomas said. “He settled in. We knew it was going to be a tough game.”
Rocky Mountain senior Carl Stajduhar got the Lobos’ rally going in the bottom of the fifth inning with a long solo home run to tie the game at 5. Back-to-back singles by senior Tyler Stevens and Thomas put Rocky Mountain in the position to capitalize on a critical throwing error.
With two outs Nathan Elsheimer ground back to the Cherry Creek pitcher Justin Jeronimus. The senior pitcher ran halfway to first base, but then threw the ball over the Bruins’ first baseman. Rocky Mountain scored two runs on the throwing error to take a 7-5 lead.
“We got a break right there, but we also had some good at-bats to get into position to take advantage of that break,” Rocky Mountain coach Scott Bullock said.
Cherry Creek shortstop Jack Hallmark, right, waits for a throw to second base as Rocky Mountain senior Trevor Thomas slides into the base Friday at All-City Field. More photos. (Dennis Pleuss)
Cherry Creek scored a run in the top of the sixth inning, but Rocky Mountain closer Cory Richer recorded the final three outs in the seventh inning to get the save. Junior Chase Ottofy picked up the victory on the mound. Ottofy, who hadn’t pitched in more than a month, took the mound in the fifth inning for starter Marc Bachman.
“We have a ton of confidence in our pitching depth,” Bullock said. “This is the time of the year when it shines.”
The Lobos will have Stevens and Stajduhar both ready to pitch Saturday. The two have combined for 11 wins on the mound and both have ERAs under 3.00 this season.
Stevens gave Rocky Mountain an insurance run Friday going to the seventh inning against Cherry Creek with an RBI single in the bottom of the sixth.
“We are just going to try and continue to play good baseball,” Bullock said going into Saturday’s action. “We understand that the only thing we have to do is play team baseball and compete.”
Regis Jesuit 5, Mountain Vista 1
It took just one swing of the bat for Regis Jesuit to earn a date with Rocky Mountain on Saturday.
With Mountain Vista and Regis tied 1-1 in the bottom of the seventh inning, Regis senior Reagan Todd crushed a first-pitch fastball off Mountain Vista ace Nick Leonard in the bottom of the seventh inning with the bases loaded. The lefty’s shot sailed over the right field fence for a walk-off grand slam home run.
“The at-bat before Leonard gave me a first-pitch fastball that I missed,” Todd said after the dramatic 5-1 victory for Regis. “I knew I wouldn’t let it happen again.”
Todd raced around the bases and was greeted by some overjoyed teammates knowing their hopes for a state championship were still alive.
More photos. (Jack Eberhard/JacksActionShots.com)
Brooks Urich started the seventh-inning rally with two out. Urich tripled to put the winning run on third base. Mountain Vista then intentionally walked Max George and Justin Thaxton to load the bases before the walk-off slam.
Regis senior lefty David Peterson, who missed six weeks this season with a broken leg, was able to outduel Leonard to keep the Raiders in the tournament. Peterson pitched a complete-game with 10 strikeouts for the win.
Peterson admitted the plan was he wouldn’t take the mound in the top of the eighth inning if it went extra innings. Leonard had seven strikeouts while giving up just five hits.