Lakewood – It’s inevitable – when a pitcher has runners on the corners and fakes a throw to third and looks back at first, somebody in the crowd screams, “Balk!” or “That play never works.”
Such a play was critical in the seventh inning Friday, and despite being called for two balks early in the game, Ralston Valley still made the play work. B.J. Harfst picked off Longmont’s Nick Snuszka, who represented the tying run, with one out and stalled the Trojans’ momentum in a 6-4 win at All-Star Park.
The Mustangs (19-4) advance in the Class 4A championship series and will play Pueblo South in an elimination game for the right to play Niwot, and Sean Ratliff, in Saturday’s title game at All-City Field.
“We practiced it this week, and the kids were like, ‘Yeah right, Coach, we’re really going to pick somebody off,”‘ Ralston Valley coach Shane Freehling said. “I was fearful, and I had my fingers crossed that he didn’t call a balk on that one.”
Longmont (17-7), which won its first two games of the tournament, loaded the bases against Mustangs starter Kevin Chritz to start the bottom of the seventh inning. Leadoff man Jordan Smith then delivered a sharp single to left that scored two runs.
Harfst then came in and walked Snuszka on five pitches. After Jason Fobes’ sacrifice fly to center field scored Matt VandenBoogaard, runners were on the corners for cleanup hitter Brad Johnson. Before he came to the plate, Harfst picked off Snuszka. Johnson then popped to first.
“I’m proud of the way we stayed in the game and tried to overcome what was happening on the field,” Longmont coach Tom Fobes said. “We just couldn’t get a hit early in the game. We left four guys in scoring position those first two innings.”
Said Chritz, who improved to 6-2: “This one feels real good. But now we have to refocus and get ready for Pueblo South, and hopefully another against Niwot.”
Longmont pitcher Justin Mathews, who came in 9-0, held the Mustangs at bay for four innings, allowing just one earned run and two hits. But it fell apart in the fifth. A leadoff single by Chritz was followed by back-to-back errors, including one on Mathews’ throw to first on a Harfst sacrifice bunt attempt.
All seven of Ralston Valley’s hits, including two apiece by Jason Alvarado and Matt Skipper, were singles.
Ralston Valley 100 050 0 – 6 7 0
Longmont 010 000 3 – 4 9 3
Ralston Valley – Alvarado rf 4-2-2-2, B. Chritz ss 3-1-1-0, Tapia c 3-0-1-2, Brym cr 0-0-0-0, Skipper 3b 4-0-2-1, Andres dh 3-0-0-0, Young 2b 0-0-0-0, Parzybok cf-lf 3-0-0-0, K. Chritz p 3-0-1-0, McKinney cr-cf 0-1-0-0, Harfst lf-p 3-1-0-0, Arrieta ph 1-0-0-0, Meiser 3-1-0-0. Totals 30-6-7-5.
Longmont – Smith 2b 2-0-1-2, Snuszka cf 3-0-2-0, Ja. Fobes ss 2-0-1-1, Johnson c 3-0-0-0, Sterkel cr 0-1-0-0, Chavez dh 3-0-0-0, Mathews p 0-0-0-0, Juth p 0-0-0-0, Pineda 3b 3-0-0-0, Lewis rf 3-2-2-0, Jo. Fobes lf 3-0-2-1, VandenBoogaard 1b 2-1-1-0. Totals 24-4-9-4.
E – Mathews, Ja. Fobes, Smith. LOB – Ralston Valley 8, Longmont 6. 2B – Lewis, VandenBoogaard. SAC – Tapia; Ja. Fobes. SB – Tapia; Snuszka. CS – Snuszka. DP – Ralston Valley 3.
Batteries – K. Chritz, Harfst (7) and Tapia; Mathews, Juth (5) and Johnson. W – K. Chritz (6-2). L – Mathews (9-1). S – Harfst (1). HBP – Smith (by K. Chritz in 1st); Ja. Fobes (by K. Chritz in 1st). BK – K. Chritz 2.
