Littleton – The Jefferson County League baseball banners in the rafters at Wheat Ridge are few and far between. Head coach Adam Miller says the latest one he has seen is from 1969.
Another will be available Wednesday if the Farmers win at Green Mountain. By handling Dakota Ridge 13-5 on the road Saturday afternoon, Wheat Ridge remained in a tie with Columbine for the Class 5A Jeffco lead; the Farmers own the tiebreaker.
“That’s what we’re gearing for; that’s what the team wants, and it’s our goal,” Farmers junior right-hander Adam Doyle said after gutting out his first league victory.
The Farmers are 10-6-1 overall, 8-1 in Jeffco. Dakota Ridge dropped to 9-8, 6-3.
Doyle was one of five hit batsmen for the Farmers. He was nailed on his non-throwing elbow by Dakota Ridge starter and loser Eric Baalman in the second inning. He left the game for an inning, then came back in the third. He lasted into the sixth and by then had things under control. As the Wheat Ridge bats came alive, Doyle shut down the Eagles, at one point retiring nine in succession.
“He did great. He’s a tough kid; he’s a competitor … ” Miller said.
Doyle also had a hand in the Farmers’ offense. They ripped five home runs, including a solo shot by Doyle in the sixth.
Wheat Ridge, which scored in every inning but the first, was led offensively by freshman designated hitter Jacob Nelson, who knocked in four runs with a homer, three-run double and a single. He also walked and could have had a run at the cycle had it not been for Dakota Ridge first baseman Joey Horan, who made a diving stop at the line to take away extra bases.
In addition, Eagles No. 9 hitter Jeff Nadeau homered twice.
Meanwhile, Dakota Ridge, which still could get a reasonable district seed, had its chances but never came through. Low points included having a runner thrown out at the plate from the outfield with no outs in the sixth and stranding five runners the last two innings.
“And you can’t hit five batters and give up five home runs,” Eagles coach Jeff Legault said.
Wheat Ridge 031 321 3 – 13 9 3
Dakota Ridge 030 002 0 – 5 11 1
Wheat Ridge – Swanson 2b 4-1-1-1, Stevens cf-p 3-1-1-1, Altman 3b-lf 4-1-1-1, Morgan rf 3-2-0-0, Nelson dh 4-2-3-4, M. Land ss-3b 0-0-0-0, Wright c 3-1-0-0, Dixon cr 0-0-0-0, Doyle p-ss 2-1-1-3, McCaw cr 1-0-0-1, Bauer cr 0-1-0-0, Hewitt 1b 4-1-0-0, Nadeau lf-p 4-2-2-3. Totals 32-13-9-13.
Dakota Ridge – Lunsford cf 3-0-1-0, Berge 2b 4-0-1-0, Baalman p-ss 4-0-0-0, Horan 1b 0-0-0-0, Ochoa 1b-c 3-0-2-0, Cain 3b 4-1-1-0, Land ss-1b 3-1-2-1, Dye lf 4-2-2-0, Trotter rf 4-0-1-1, Gray c 0-0-0-0, Rosco dh 3-1-1-3, Duren p 0-0-0-0. Totals 32-5-11-5.
E – M. Land, Swanson, B. Land, Wright. DP – Wheat Ridge. LOB – Wheat Ridge 10, Dakota Ridge 9. SB – Swanson, Hewitt. CS – Lunsford. 2B – Nelson, B. Land. HR – Nelson, solo in second; Nadeau, one on in fifth and solo in seventh; Doyle, solo in sixth, Altman, solo in seventh.
Batteries – Doyle, Nadeau (2), Doyle (3), Stevens (6) and Wright; Baalman, Duren (5) and Gray and Ochoa (6). W – Doyle (3-1). L – Baalman (1-3). WP – Baalman, 2, Duren. PB – Gray, Wright. HBP – Doyle (by Baalman); Wright (by Baalman) 2; Swanson (by Baalman); Hewitt (by Duren). T – 2:48.
Neil H. Devlin can be reached at 303-820-1714 or ndevlin@denverpost.com.
