LITTLETON — There are always bumps and stumbles along the road to a conference championship.
Chatfield baseball, ranked No. 8 in the latest CHSAANow.com Class 5A baseball poll, seemed destined to hold a 7-0 record in the Class 5A Jeffco League heading into the conference tournament that began Tuesday. However, blowing a 9-2 lead against Dakota Ridge last week and eventually losing 13-9 put the Chargers winning the conference title in jeopardy.
“We were definitely shaking it off still at the start of this game,” Chatfield senior Kasey Koppelmaa said referring to a slow start against Bear Creek on Tuesday.
Chatfield junior Luke LaChance, right, slides in to third base ahead of the tag by Bear Creek junior Dylan Gutierrez. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
The Chargers (12-5, 7-1 in 5A Jeffco League) turned it around thanks to a solo home run by Koppelmaa and 3-run blast by sophomore Jared Olson in the bottom of the sixth inning to break a 7-7 tie.
“That guy (Olson) puts every pound of his 120-pound body into that baseball,” Koppelmaa said of the sophomore who got the start at catcher. “I was shocked, everyone was, but that’s his second home run of the year.”
Chatfield went on to win 11-8 on its home field. Freshman Logan Carlisle made is varsity debut on the mound and recorded the final three outs. The win moved the Chargers into the semifinals of the conference tournament where Chatfield will host Lakewood at 4 p.m. Thursday, May 3.
“We just want to come out, compete and put ourselves in a good position at the end of the season,” Chatfield coach Daniel Medina said of his Chargers that have a 1-game lead over No. 7 Ralston Valley (13-4, 6-2). “We know we’re are going to see quality opponents in this (Jeffco) tournament and that will prepare us for the show (playoffs).”
Bear Creek senior Luke Hawthorne fires to the plate Tuesday against Chatfield. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
Junior John Cullom played a huge role in the comeback victory over Bear Creek. Cullom belted a 2-run home run to get the Chargers out of their offensive funk after falling behind 4-0. Cullom then took the hill in the top of the fourth inning after Bear Creek roughed up Koppelmaa for seven runs.
Bear Creek (7-9-1, 2-6) took an advantage of a handful of Charger errors in the first three innings to take a 7-3 lead.
“Coach Chamberlain (Chatfield pitching coach Larry Chamberlain) told me yesterday that I would be a factor in our pitching,” Cullom said. “He told me to get up there and I stepped up.”
Cullom pitched three scoreless innings. Chatfield’s offense put four runs on the board in the fourth and sixth inning to take the Chargers’ first lead of the game.
“These kids just wait for their number to get called and they go out and execute,” Medina said. “We credit that toward aggressive practices and being prepared before we get here.”
Chatfield’s Luke LaChance (3) and Jared Olson celebrate the final out in the fifth inning. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
All three games in the 5A Jeffco League Tournament will count toward the league standings. There is a chance Chatfield could host Ralston Valley in the title game Saturday, May 5, with the conference title on the line.
Bear Creek likely needs to win both of its consolation Jeffco tournament games to have a chance to make the 32-team postseason field. The Bears sat 38th in the RPI standings before Tuesday’s game against Chatfield. The eight league champions receive automatic bids. The rest of the playoff field will be determined by RPI.
“You see the RPI and you constantly become a slave of the RPI,” Bear Creek coach Sean Hoorelbeke said. “At the end of the day all you can do is come out and play.”
Bear Creek senior Adam Cholak led the Bears offense going 3-for-4 with four RBIs. Senior Luke Hawthorne pitched a strong first three innings before Chatfield got to him in the fourth inning.
“Credit to them for coming up with some big swings at big times when they needed,” Hoorelbeke said of the Chargers’ three home runs. “That’s expected when you play Chatfield. Today we just missed our mark.”
Bear Creek senior Adam Cholak (4) beats a throw to Chatfield second baseman Luke LaChance in the first inning Tuesday at Chatfield Senior High School. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)