Aurora – For all of its senior leadership, experience and talent, Grandview’s Wolves agree it’s nice to know fundamentals can win ballgames.
“It’s the little things,” Wolves coach Dean Adams said after his team drubbed visiting Cherry Creek 11-1 in six innings Wednesday to build a two-game lead in the Centennial League. “We have preached that all year.”
To a Wolf, Grandview concurred.
“We did those type of things today,” winning pitcher Max Hewitt said. “And we haven’t played our best baseball yet.”
The victory came on a cold, windy day in which the Wolves (8-3, 6-0 league) weren’t hitting. In all, they scored 11 runs on just six hits.
However, they took advantage of numerous Cherry Creek (6-5, 4-2) miscues and were successful with small ball, bunting twice in succession and having the Bruins kick it or throw it away.
The result was an eight-run fourth inning. Grandview scored three in the sixth to end it, including a two-run double by Adam Bies, who also had an RBI single.
Despite the Wolves being quiet at the plate, they batted around in the fourth, including Mike Barker’s three-run homer. In all, Barker scored three times and knocked in four.
Meanwhile, Hewitt, bound for Northern Colorado to play football but considering asking the Bears’ baseball brain trust if they need another thrower, settled down after surrendering back-to-back doubles in the first. He improved to 4-0, by striking out eight, walking four, stranding seven and allowing just four hits.
“I had trouble finding the strike zone, then made some adjustments,” he said.
For the Bruins, they turned two double plays, but committed five errors and three pitchers issued nine walks.
“You can’t win that way,” Cherry Creek coach Marc Johnson said. “But give credit where credit is due (to Grandview). No excuses. We were poor.”
Cherry Creek 100 000 – 1 4 5
Grandview 000 803 – 11 6 2
Cherry Creek – McCabe rf 3-0-0-0, Satherlie 3b 1-0-0-0, Shantz ss 3-1-1-0, Haines c 2-0-1-1, Park cr 0-0-0-0, Gaston dh 3-0-0-0, Mielnicki 1b 3-0-1-0, Korecki lf 2-0-0-0, Olson cf 3-0-0-0, O’Conner 2b 2-0-1-0, Jacobs p 0-0-0-0, Wagner p 0-0-0-0, Murphy p 0-0-0-0. Totals 22-1-4-1.
Grandview – Hewitt p 3-0-0-1, Vetanze cr 0-1-0-0, Allbritton ss 2-0-0-1, Leonida c 3-1-1-1, Burek cr 0-1-0-0, Schlehuber 3b 2-2-1-0, Barker cf 4-3-2-4, Leedholm 1b 2-0-0-0, Bies dh 3-1-2-3, Gaskins rf 0-0-0-0, Woods lf 2-1-0-0, Klouser 2b 2-1-0-0. Totals 23-11-6-10.
E – Shantz 3, Jacobs 2, Hewitt, Allbritton. DP – Grandview 2, Cherry Creek 1. LOB – Cherry Creek 7, Grandview 7. SAC – Klouser.
2B – Shantz, Haines, Leonida, Barker, Bies. HR – Barker, two on in fourth.
Batteries – Jacobs, Murphy (4), Murphy (5) and Haines; Hewitt and Leonida. W – Hewitt (4-0). L – Jacobs (1-2). WP – Jacobs 2, Wagner. PB – Haines. T – 1:48.
