The final score wasn’t the point. Capping high school careers with a final game on the same field the Rockies had just earned an extra-inning victory moments earlier was.
Fifty of the best prep senior baseball players from every corner of the state took to Coors Field on Sunday evening following the Rockies’ 10-9 10-inning victory over the Cincinnati Reds, and the smile on the face of Mountain Vista’s Danny Beck said it all.
“This was my first time on this field, so it was very special for me,” said Beck, who crushed a two-run triple his first time at the plate. “It was surreal. You get up to the on-deck circle, and you look around and get a little chill running down your spine. It’s a great place and a great atmosphere, but once you step into the box it’s just pitcher and batter.”
Beck’s Silver team scored eight runs in the first two innings on the way to a 13-4 victory over the Purple squad. The teams were selected in May by a panel of media, scouts, coaches and Rockies personnel.
Beck, who will move on to play for Southern California, wasn’t the only member of the Mountain Vista squad to have a good day at the major-league park. Travis Cruz went 2-for-2 with two RBIs in a contest that appeared to favor the Silver side from the start.
Chris Grandinetti of Broomfield opened the game with single and the first run of the day, and he drove in a run with another single his next time up. Brian Chritz from Ralston Valley also went 2-for-2 for Silver.
Zach Krueger of Holyoke belted an RBI double in the fifth inning to give Silver an 11-2 lead, but Krueger wasn’t watching the scoreboard.
“That was amazing to play here. It’s one of those dreams you have growing up,” Krueger said. “Playing against these guys, you have to do your best or you’ll look like an idiot.”
The Purple squad was held to seven hits. Mikel Huston of Northridge did his part with a triple to lead off the sixth inning, and he scored on a sacrifice fly from Jason Veyna of Lamar, his second of the day.
“The field is real nice out here and there’s a lot of fans,” Huston said.
Six pitchers for each team took to the mound. Columbine’s Dominic Montoya and Wheat Ridge’s Adam Doyle on the Purple side, and Dylan Hochevar of Wray on the Silver team were the three who did not give up a hit.
Silver 440 212 0 – 13 13 4
Purple 011 002 0 – 4 7 3
Silver – Chris Grandinetti (Broomfield) 2-1-2-0; David Fox (Faith Christian) 2-1-1-0; C.J. Gillman (Columbine) 2-0-1-1; Brian Chritz (Ralston Valley) 2-1-2-2; Danny Beck (Mountain Vista) 2-1-1-2; Garrett Houts (Fort Collins) 1-1-0-1; Zach Krueger (Holyoke) 2-0-1-1; Nash Henson (Boulder) 2-1-0-0; Joe Ray (Monarch) 2-1-1-0; Robbie Stransky (Mullen) 1-1-0-0; Jake Anderson (Fairview) 1-2-1-2; Travis Cruz (Mountain Vista) 2-2-2-2; Cody Scott (Arapahoe) 2-0-1-1; Kyle Koch (Liberty) 2-0-0-1; Cory Slinkard (Mullen) 2-0-0-0; A.J. Schugel (Mountain Vista) 2-0-0-0; Ryan Salt (Air Academy) 2-0-0-0; A.J. Jacobs (Cherry Creek) 2-0-0-0; Dylan Hochevar (Wray) 1-1-0-0. Totals 34-13-13-13.
Purple – Bobby Cozine (ThunderRidge) 2-0-0-0; Everett Altman (Wheat Ridge) 2-0-0-0; Bradshaw Perry (Cherokee Trail) 1-0-0-0; Ryan Hill (Arvada West) 2-0-0-0; Cole Leonia (Grandview) 2-1-1-0; Jared Schlehuber (Grandview) 2-1-1-0; Mikel Huston (Northridge) 2-0-1-0; Jason Veyna (Lamar) 0-0-0-2; Max Hewitt (Grandview) 2-1-0-0; Mike McElreath (Smoky Hill) 2-0-0-0; T.J. Berge (Dakota Ridge) 1-0-0-1; A.J. Clark (CSCS) 2-1-1-0; Jay Gromelski (Woodland Park) 2-0-1-0; Zach Blakeley (Highlands Ranch) 2-0-1-1; Andrew Kachel (Doherty) 1-0-0-0; Jade Downey (McClave) 1-0-0-0; Josh Gordon (Silver Creek) 1-0-0-0; Lincoln Harmer (Arvada West) 1-0-0-0; Chris Hayden (East) 1-0-1-0. Totals 29-4-7-4.
Batteries – Dylan Hochevar (Wray), Chris Carlberg (Mullen), Scott Cure (Idalia), A.J. Jacobs (Cherry Creek), Chris Mezger (Fairview), Joe Willman (Regis) and Anderson, Gillman, Scott; Tim Moore (Cherokee Trail), Max Hewitt (Grandview), Dominic Montoya (Columbine), Cameron Maldonado (Cañon City), Chris Hayden (East), Jason Baylor (Las Animas), Adam Doyle (Wheat Ridge) and Blakeley, Kachel, Leonida. LOB – Silver 3; Purple 6. 2B – Krueger, Scott; Blakeley. 3B – Beck; Huston. SB – Houts 2, Grandinetti; Berge. HBP – Hochevar. WP – Maldonando. SAC – Maldonado 2.
