Westminster – The wind howled Tuesday afternoon, but so did Arvada West in taking control of the Class 5A Jefferson County League.
By banging out 12 hits, including three two-run home runs with two out, the Wildcats fought off pesky host Standley Lake 10-6 in a spring wind that made every popup and flyball a mini-adventure.
In improving to 11-2 overall, 4-0 in league, senior-dominated A-West nears the stretch run of the regular season and second half of league play as the team to beat.
“For right now,” Wildcats coach Jim Capra said, “I’d rather be up one than tied or down one.
“These kids kind of do stuff that when the game’s on the line, they do well. When the score’s close, our kids kind of bear down a little more and get it done.”
A-West got two-out, two-run homers from Lincoln Harmer (in the first), No. 9 hitter Jake Smith (in the fourth) and Chris Biren (in the fifth) among seven extra-base hits.
Harmer’s homer, his seventh in 2007, was one of his three hits; he was a triple shy of a cycle. He added an RBI double in the fifth and got the final two outs in relief as the Gators (5-7, 2-2), who had been making lots of noise in the first half of the season and hung around all game, went down swinging.
“I’m seeing it good and just trying to get swings at quality pitches,” Harmer said.
Ryan Hansen was 2-for-3 with four RBIs for the Gators, who downed Bear Creek and Columbine before dropping a one-run decision to Pomona on Monday.
“(The Wildcats) got them up in the air and they left; we only got one,” Standley Lake coach Pat Woytek said. “They hit it hard.”
The Wildcats received four hits from the bottom of the order – No. 8 Mitch Shinkle and Smith each had two. Leadoff Luke Campbell and No. 3 hole Ryan Hill had two each.
“We’re not fantastic, but I think our kids do some things really well in clutch situations,” Capra said.
The Wildcats also turned in a double play and received two stellar catches in the outfield.
Arvada West 2201311 – 10 12 2
Standley Lake 0212001 – 6 10 3
Arvada West – Campbell ss 4-1-2-1, V. Capra 1b 4-0-0-0, Hill cf 4-2-2-0, Harmer rf-p 4-2-3-3, Haegerty rf 0-0-0-0, Biren dh 4-2-1-2, N. Capra c 3-0-0-1, Delorenzo lf 3-0-0-0, Oneill 1-0-0-0, Shinkle 3b 3-1-2-1, Smith 2b 3-2-2-2, Lemieux p 0-0-0-0. Totals 33-10-12-10.
Standley Lake – A. Smart ss 4-1-1-0, Maul p 3-0-2-1, Penov p 1-0-1-0, Kemper 2b 4-0-1-1, Davis 1b 4-1-1-0, Kretzel rf 4-1-1-0, N. Smart 3b 3-1-1-0, Hansen lf 3-1-2-4, Rohrig c 3-0-0-0, Stroud cf 3-1-0-0. Totals 32-6-10-6.
E – Maul, Campbell 2, N. Smart 2. DP – Arvada West. LOB – Arvada West 3, Standley Lake 5. SAC – N. Capra. SB – Campbell.
2B – Maul, Shinkle, Hansen, Harmer, Smith, A. Smart. 3B – Campbell. HR – Harmer, one on in first; Smith, one on in second; Hansen, one on in second; Biren, one on in fifth.
Batteries – Lemieux, Harmer (7) and N. Capra; Maul, Penov (6) and Rohrig. W – Lemieux (2-1). L – Maul (1-2). WP – Maul, Lemieux, Harmer. PB – Rohrig. T – 1:50.
Neil H. Devlin can be reached at 303-954-1714 or ndevlin@denverpost.com.
