Parker – Metropolitan-area schoolboy baseball hit prime time Wednesday night, a rare game under the lights.
Arapahoe’s Cody Scott said he appreciated the experience after emerging as the top night ranger.
The senior pitched and batted the Warriors past Chaparral 7-4 in Class 5A Continental League play at the new Double Angels Field, a yard that drew rave reviews.
“It was a great experience and we were all pumped up,” Scott said in echoing others who played in their first prep night game. “It was so much fun.”
Said Arapahoe coach Luke Muller: “It’s the first (night game) I’ve ever been a part of … and that first inning was like a football game, the players were intense, the fans were intense … and we got a lot more students here than we’ve had at a game, and this is in Parker.”
The cold and wind made it interesting before Scott (1-1) settled in and helped the Warriors improve their overall mark to 2-2 in their league opener. Scott overcame a shaky first inning, when he gave up three runs, but managed his nerves with a complete game. Scott also ripped a two-run home run to left field in the fifth that proved to be the winning run.
Chaparral (3-2, 1-1) wanted a pitchout as catcher Lorenzo Roybal stood up during the delivery, but the ball sailed high and tight to Scott, who cracked it out to left field.
“I didn’t know that, but I was just able to put a good swing on it and get my hands through,” Scott said.
Derrik Overton had two hits and knocked in two runs for Arapahoe, which hit safely in every spot in the order except at No. 7. Every Warrior reached base at least once in scoring single runs in the second, third and fourth innings. They added an insurance run in the seventh. Eric Soehngen added two hits, and second baseman Tyler Bartschi took away a hit on a line drive in the sixth and turned it into a double play.
Chaparral, which banged out three extra-base hits through three innings, managed only two singles over the next four. The Wolverines committed three errors, didn’t get to a couple of balls in the outfield and failed to respond to Scott, who got stronger as the game progressed.
“He was tougher than us tonight,” Wolverines coach Steve Eaton said. “He’s a competitor.”
Corey Gaudet had a run-scoring triple among his two hits, and Mike Frank and Blair Robbins ripped doubles.
Arapahoe 011 130 1 – 7 10 2
Chaparral 301 000 0 – 4 6 3
Arapahoe – Brower ss 3-2-1-0, Soehngen cf 4-1-2-0, Scott p 4-1-1-2, Runberg 1b 3-1-1-0, Guymon lf 4-2-1-0, Overton c 3-0-2-2, Mitchell 3b 4-0-0-0, Bartschi 2b 3-0-1-1, Marburger rf 3-0-1-0. Totals 31-7-10-5.
Chaparral – Roybal c 4-0-0-0, Roberts 2b 4-1-1-0, Steinert 3b 2-1-0-0, Frank 1b 3-2-1-0, Gaudet cf 3-0-2-1, Johnson ss 2-0-1-1, Hirschberger rf 3-0-0-0, Roth dh 2-0-0-0, Rosales ph 1-0-0-0, Widhalm lf 2-0-0-0, Dunn rf 1-0-1-0, Burton p 0-0-0-0, McLaughlin p 0-0-0-0. Totals 27-4-6-2.
E – Runberg, Steinert 2, Johnson, Brower. LOB – Arapahoe 5, Chaparral 4. DP – Arapahoe, Chaparral. SAC – Johnson, Overton. SB – Roberts, Steinert, Brower, Johnson. 2B – Roberts, Frank, Overton, Soehngen. 3B – Gaudet. HR – Scott, one in in fifth.
Batteries – Scott and Overton; Burton, McLaughlin (6) and Roybal. W – Scott (1-1). L – Burton (0-1). WP – Burton. Time – 1:46.
