GREELEY — Imagine the Brush Beetdiggers’ disappointment when they moved into the final four of the Class 3A baseball tournament last weekend, only to find they would match up with a team they hadn’t beaten in 17 years.
The trend continued Friday afternoon as Eaton eliminated Patriot League foe Brush 6-2 at Butch Butler Field to remain unbeaten in the Class 3A double-elimination tournament. The Reds (21-3) will have to lose twice to Lamar (19-6) on Saturday.
“It’s a good position to be in, but we haven’t done anything yet,” Eaton skipper Jim Danley said.
For the second consecutive Friday, Reds senior Bo McLavey pitched a complete-game four-hitter, and he threw just 83 pitches against Brush to record his seventh victory of the season.
“We are happy with where we are at. Now we just have to go and get the job done,” McLavey said. “The spot we put ourselves in is where we want to be. We set it and we got it.”
The Reds’ offense was given all the help it needed by Brush starting pitcher Arturo Maltos. The junior escaped major damage in the first inning, but his wildness got the better of him in the top of the second.
After striking out Seth Jackson, Maltos walked the bases full for Logan Hall, whose patience paid off. An RBI walk by Hall was followed by Tyler Wallace’s two-run single to center field.
“When you walk eight guys, it is going to take a monumental effort to get it back,” Brush coach Mark Muniz said.
“This team was headed in another direction after the 19-game regular season, and they did a great job of getting back into it.”
Eaton would chalk up two more runs in the top of the fourth inning. Leadoff walks to Adam Geisick and Hall were followed by McLavey’s two-run double over right fielder Brad Bass’ head.
“(Brush) is a fine team and they’ve been on a roll, and it is really difficult to interrupt the kind of momentum they have had,” said Danley, who ran his career coaching record to 640-149-2. “We knew we would have to play well.”
Brush (13-12) scored its runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Maltos, who singled, came around to score on Derek Lynch’s single, and Sam Guzman scored on catcher Bennett Pickar’s throwing error.
Danley will likely throw senior ace Kyle Ottoson (33-3 career) in what he hopes is the Reds’ only game Saturday, and will also have McLavey if he needs him.
Eaton 130 200 0 — 6 6 3
Brush 000 002 0 — 2 4 0
Eaton — Geisick rf 2-3-1-0, Hall cf 2-1-1-1, Rosas pr 0-0-0-0, Wallace 3b 3-0-1-2, McLavey p 3-0-1-3, Smith cr 0-0-0-0,Ottoson dh 3-0-0-0, Anderson ss 0-0-0-0, Jackson 2b 4-0-2-0, Pickar c 3-0-0-0, Estreich cr 0-1-0-0, Monfort 1b 2-1-0-0, Ruff lf 2-0-0-0. Totals 24-6-6-6.
Brush — Bass rf 3-0-1-1, D. Lynch ss-2b 3-0-0-0, Grauberger c 2-0-0-0, Maltos p-ss 3-1-1-0, Guzman cf 2-1-0-0, K. Lynch 3b 3-0-1-1, Rubalcaba lf 3-0-1-0, Wahlert 2b 1-0-0-0, Hirschfield p 2-0-0-0, Kukus 1b 3-0-0-0. Totals 25-2-4-2.
E — Wallace, Hall, Pickar. LOB — Eaton 7; Brush 5. SB — Bass, K. Lynch. Caught stealing — Rosas; Bass. SAC — Ruff. 2B — Jackson, McLavey; Rubalacaba.
Batteries — McLavey and Pickar; Maltos, Hirschfield (4) and Grauberger. W — McLavey (7-1). L — Maltos (7-5). WP — McLavey; Maltos 2. Time — 1:32.
Jon E. Yunt: 303-954-1354 or jyunt@denverpost.com
