PARKER — Chaparral needs to get it going and the Wolverines are hopeful Wednesday’s 6-2 Continental League victory at home over Rock Canyon is the start.
“We need to pick it up,” coach Steve Eaton said as the Wolverines improved to 3-3 overall, 2-1 in league.
Consider it a start — Chaparral uncharacteristically booted multiple balls in the field, but strung together runs late, ran the bases with abandon and rode the five-hit pitching of senior Mike Schweiss.
Every Chaparral starter but one reached base and six of nine regulars hit safely. Pat Hirschberg led the way with two hits and five others plated runs. The big hits were run-scoring doubles by catcher Eric Graff (in the fourth inning) and designated hitter Travis Higman (in the sixth).
Schweiss was in trouble only in the fifth, when he was touched for three hits and a sacrifice fly, but never flinched and helped his cause by picking off two Jaguars, including one at second base.
The Wolverines, who next get Fort Collins on Saturday before three-day-per-week league play, also realize this will be Eaton’s final season and they seek a fitting finale.
As for newer Rock Canyon (1-2, 0-1), the league’s only Class 4A team, it’s “the most giving in Colorado,” Tyler Munro said, after six errors, although loser Spencer Campbell hung tough and gave up only seven hits.
Rock Canyon 000 020 0 — 2 5 6
Chaparral 010 212 x — 6 7 5
Rock Canyon — Carter lf 3-0-0-1, Enterline c 4-0-1-1, Spies 1b 2-0-1-0, Williams dh 3-0-0-0, Krietemeier cf 3-0-1-0, Sandlin 3-0-0-0, Ino 3-0-0-0, Wetzel ss 3-1-1-0, Davis rf 2-1-1-0, Campbell p 0-0-0-0. Totals 26-2-5-2.
Chaparral — Wallace ss 4-0-1-1, Roberts 2b 3-0-0-0, Hirschberg rf 3-0-2-0, Burton 1b 3-1-0-0, Graff c 3-1-1-1, Schmunk cr 0-1-0-0, Matthews lf 3-1-1-1, Higman dh 3-1-1-1, Pachelli cf 2-0-0-0, Duran ph 1-0-0-0, Serena 3b 3-1-1-1, Schweiss p 0-0-0-0. Totals 28-6-7-5.
E — Davis, Ino 2, Enterline, Roberts, Serena 2, Pachelli, Wallace, Wetzel, Campbell. LOB — Rock Canyon 6, Chaparral 4. SB — Roberts, Matthews, Serena 3. Caught stealing — Ino, Davis
2B — Spies, Graff, Davis, Roberts, Serena 2, Pachelli, Wallace, Wetzel, Campbell.
Batteries — Campbell and Enterline; Schweiss and Graff. W — Schweiss (2-1). L — Campbell (0-1). SF — Carter.
