Green Mountain is 3-0 in the 4A baseball tournament. More photos. (Matt Mathewes/MVPSportsPics.com)
DENVER — For the second-straight year, the Green Mountain Rams are in a prime position to take the Class 4A state baseball tournament.
With a 5-4 win over Ponderosa Thursday, the Rams are now the only undefeated team remaining in the double-elimination format tournament.
“That’s something that a lot of teams have thought about in the past,” Green Mountain coach Brad Madden said. “We’re not thinking about being in the driver seat. We’re thinking about winning two more games.”
The Rams did a good job in the first two innings of getting runners on base early, but they weren’t able to drive them home. Those issues got resolved in the third as the offense erupted for five runs. It was Chase Upson with the big swing, driving in two runs on a double down the right field line putting Green Mountain up 3-0.
“Everything in the game (is important),” shortstop Cole Shetterly said. “Every run is important and you just need a way to manufacture runs and we were able to do that today.”
More photos. (Matt Mathewes/MVPSportsPics.com)
Last year’s 4A player of the year, Josh Ramirez, was walked in and then Upson scored on a passed ball to give the Rams a 5-0 lead.
On the mound, Ramirez was able to limit baserunners for Ponderosa, stifling the Mustangs’ offense. Once his team had given him a five-run pad, he knew that he wanted to go the distance for his team.
“I wanted the whole thing,” he said. “I hate getting innings taken away from me. I love going the entire game, it’s my favorite thing to do.”
He didn’t get into any trouble until the fifth. Thomas Green tripled for the Mustangs and was brought home by a Jesse Feldhouse single to get Ponderosa on the board.
They added one more in the sixth to cut the Rams’ lead to three runs. Determined to get the complete game, Ramirez went out for the seventh. A couple of base hits put the tying run at the plate in third baseman Rider Ghidotti. Ramirez tried to start him off with a slider high and inside and Ghidotti launched it to right field for a triple.
The Mustangs had the tying run 90 feet away. But Ramirez stuck out Kian Kagan looking to end the game sending the Rams into the last round of the tournament as the lone team with no losses.
“We gave up a few pity runs here and there but that happens,” Ramirez said. “(We just have to) win out. That’s all we have to do.”
D’Evelyn 2, Windsor 0
A pitcher’s duel between the Wizards’ Cole Brandon and the Jaguars’ Cameron Brown went into the sixth inning before D’Evelyn finally got on the board.
They scored two in the top of the sixth and were able to hold Windsor without a run, setting up their second elimination game of the day.
D’Evelyn 5, Wheat Ridge 0
More photos. (Matt Mathewes/MVPSportsPics.com)
The Jaguars kept up their late momentum from their earlier game with Windsor as they plated four runs in the first inning to jump out to a quick lead.
The Farmers were able to settle down defensively, but their inability to get their bats going led to their second loss of the tournament, eliminating them from the 4A field.
D’Evelyn pitcher Grant Witherspoon threw a complete game, two-hit shutout to get the Jaguars into the Final 4.
Lewis-Palmer 1, Erie 0
Paul Tillotson struck out nine and was 2-2 at the plate as the Rangers knocked the Erie Tigers out the tournament.
Billy Cook drove home the lone run for Lewis-Palmer on a double to left field.
Lewis-Palmer 4, Evergreen 0
An RBI infield single from Billy Cook and a bases clearing double from Brad Kuglar powered the Rangers to a 4-0 win and a spot in next week’s Final 4.
Lewis-Palmer pitcher Colin Cicere went the distance, giving up only two hits in the shutout win.