LAKEWOOD — The heartbreak ended for Caliche on Thursday afternoon on Keli McGregor Field at All Star Park in Lakewood.
After coming up short in the 8-man football title game and losing by a point in the Class 1A boys basketball championship this school year, the Buffaloes were able to finally hoist a championship trophy.
Caliche dominated the 1A baseball title game, defeating Dove Creek 17-1 to win the school first-ever state baseball championship.
“It’s relief. The pressure has been lifted off,” said Caliche junior Austin Yahn, who reached base and scored in all five plate-appearances in the championship game. “We finally got first.”
More photos. (Jack Eberhard/JacksActionShots.com)
The majority of the Buffaloes’ key players were on both those state runner-up teams in the fall and winter.
“It was tough being second place in both football and basketball,” Caliche senior Mitch Davison said. “It’s really awesome to win it in baseball. We wish we could have got those other two, but this feels great.”
Davison was the starting quarterback and leading rusher for Caliche’s football team. He was also the leading scorer on the basketball team this winter. The senior played a huge role Thursday afternoon in the Buffaloes snaring a state title that eluded them all school year.
Davison pitched a complete-game on the mound. He gave up just one unearned run to the Bulldogs (7-15) in the bottom of the fourth inning. He surrendered just three hits and struck out nine to earn his fifth victory of the season.
“I knew it wouldn’t be high scoring, for them (Dove Creek) anyways,” Caliche coach J.P. Lambrecht said after his team completed a five-game postseason run where the Buffaloes outscored their opponents 63-3. “Mitch throws good. He is always round the plate and throws strikes. He has been a phenomenal thrower for me.”
The senior was also effective at the plate. Davison had a big two-run double in the second inning that pushed the Buffaloes lead to 5-0. He also pulled a two-run home run over the left field fence in the top of the fourth inning, extending Caliche’s lead to 8-0.
“I was just swinging for a good base hit,” Davison said of his second home run of the season. “It ended up being a home run.”
Despite his monster game, Davison deflected the credit.
“My teammates behind me had a great game. They played very well,” Davison said of his defense that committed just one error. “It wasn’t just me. Everyone helped out.”
Evidence that it was a team effort is Caliche’s No. 9 hitter Jayden Stieb. The senior took advantage of two walks and two errors to reach base and eventually score on all four of his at-bats.
More photos. (Jack Eberhard/JacksActionShots.com)
Caliche (12-11) managed 13 hits and took advantage of eight walks and eight defensive errors by Dove Creek.
“You’ve got to get on base with walks, errors and hits, whatever,” Lambrecht said. “You have to put the pressure on the defense.”
Dove Creek’s lone run came on an RBI double by junior Alex Ogas in the bottom of the fourth inning. Caliche answered in the sixth inning with two runs, but really poured it on in the top of the seventh with a seven-run inning.
“I think we were pretty calm and confident in ourselves,” said Davison, who struck out the final two Bulldog batters to end the game and proceeded to be at the bottom of a dog pile near the mound as Caliche players celebrated the win. “We’ve been here a couple of times in state championship games. We played to the best of our ability.”
Yahn admitted it was a struggle to get into baseball mode after losing the state basketball title game 52-51 on March 15. The Buffaloes lost their first six games of the season.
“Our record shows it took awhile to focus, we are only one game above .500,” Yahn said. “It didn’t feel right playing baseball until about mid-season. We turned it around.”
Caliche players celebrate winning the 1A baseball title. More photos. (Dennis Pleuss)