Loveland – Sterling coach Derek Feather knew going into the season his team could be pretty lethal with the bats.
The proof was Friday, when the Tigers were able to get their hacks against one of the state’s best pitchers in Niwot’s Sean Ratliff.
Even though they lost Friday, the confidence at the plate carried over to Saturday and helped the 10th-ranked Tigers earn a key 4-2 Class 4A Northern League victory over Mountain View that further clouds the race for the third spot in the league behind Niwot and Thompson Valley.
“It doesn’t matter who we are facing, we can put the ball in play and we can get base hits,” said Feather, who has guided the Tigers to a 12-4 mark, 9-4 in league. “That gives us a whole lot of confidence against any team we play.”
Shane Gertner led off the top of second inning with a single to left. He was able to move to third when the Tigers ran a hit-and-run with Brandon Steele grounding out to short. Roy Edwards, a 6-foot, 250-pound first baseman, was able to put the ball in play, hitting a dribbler past the right side of the mound that brought in Gertner.
It would stay that way until the bottom of the fifth, when the Mountain Lions (10-5, 8-4) would finally get to Sterling starter Jeff Squier.
Mike Minch’s triple that led off the inning was followed by Andy Hlushak’s sacrifice fly two batters later to tie the game.
Sterling answered in the top half of the sixth. With two out, Edwards drove in the second of his three runs with a sharp single to center.
“It always feels good to come through with that big hit,” Edwards said, “especially with the game on the line and the team needs it.”
Tied at 2-2 heading into the seventh, Sterling again answered Mountain View’s rally with two runs in the seventh. A misplayed popup by the Mountain View infield with two out kept the inning alive and allowed Jordan Hall to score the go-ahead run.
“You’re going to make errors, and you’re going to lose balls in the sky, that’s just part of the ballgame,” Mountain Lions coach Greg Brock said. “I thought the pivotal play was walking the guy with two outs (in the sixth) and nobody on, who eventually came around to score. You just can’t walk a guy in that situation.”
Squier, who quarterbacked the Tigers to the 3A football title game, was impressive. He limited the Mountain Lions to four hits, struck out three and allowed his defense to do the job behind him.
“I felt really good today compared to my last few outings,” Squier said. “I got back on track, and I really didn’t think they were going to score.”
Sterling 010 001 2 – 4 6 0
Mountain View 000 011 0 – 2 4 2
Sterling – Avila ss 4-0-0-0, Ertle 4-0-0-0, Pilkington lf 2-1-0-0, Gertner cf 3-1-2-0, Steele rf 2-1-1-0, Edwards 1b 3-0-1-3, Schell dh 2-0-0-0, Bassegio 2b 0-0-0-0, Squier p 3-0-1-0, Hall c 3-1-1-0, Lock cr 0-0-0-0. Totals 26-4-6-3.
Mountain View – Stine cf 3-1-0-0, Hall rf-p 2-0-0-0, Brock p-3b 2-0-1-1, Walkowicz c 3-0-1-0, Minch lf-rf 2-1-1-0, McLaughlin dh 2-0-0-0, Riggenbach 2b 0-0-0-0, Warner lf 1-0-0-0, Hlushak 1b 1-0-0-1, Channell ss 2-0-0-0, Trujillo 3b-2b 1-0-1-0. Totals 19-2-4-2.
E – Channell, Brock. LOB – Sterling 8; Mountain View 1. 3B – Minch. SAC – Hlushak, Hall. SB – Gartner, Hall. CS – Pilkington, Gertner; Minch, Brock.
Batteries – Squier and Hall; Brock, Hall (7) and Walkowicz. W – Squier (4-1). L – Brock (2-3). WP – Brock. HBP – Steele (by Hall in the seventh). BK – Squire.
Jon E. Yunt can be reached at 303-820-5446 or jyunt@denverpost.com.
