If the law is called to an Eaton home game again this season, Tyler Wallace will be more at ease — at least if the reason is a result of his bat, not his pitching arm.
An Eaton policeman showed up after the second game of a doubleheader against Weld Central last year, and Wallace was befuddled as to why a police report was filed against him.
Turns out Wallace had bombarded a house about 400 feet from home plate, just beyond the left-field fence at Eaton’s home field, with baseballs off his bat four times during the twinbill. The owners filed the complaint after Wallace shattered the back patio glass with his fourth home run of the afternoon. He also hit the roof twice and a parked car, which Wallace claimed belonged to longtime Eaton coach Jim Danley.
“It was the first time we’ve had a cop in our dugout during the postgame chat,” Danley recalled. “I offered up that the opposing pitcher was the guilty party and should be arrested for hanging bad curveballs to Wallace, but to make sure he should be released on bond before his team’s next game against us.”
Wallace, who hit .638 with 21 home runs and 92 RBI last season as Eaton ended a three-year 3A state-title drought, said he didn’t know he had broken the patio window until the policeman arrived in the dugout and began taking his information.
“I was a little nervous. I didn’t know what they were going to do,” Wallace said. “Everybody in the dugout was laughing, and after he took my information he said, ‘That was a heck of a home run.’ ”
The Reds lost their top two pitchers: Kyle Ottoson, The Denver Post’s 3A player of the year, and Bo McLavey, an all-3A selection as an infielder. Wallace, who was 5-0 with a 1.25 ERA as the third starter, moves up to No. 1 and is hoping to keep any damages to a minimum.
“It’ll be fun,” Wallace said. “Logan (Hall) and I pretty much took over the (pitching) responsibility last summer and we had the best record ever” as Eaton went 43-2 and won the state Legion B championship, with Wallace going 12-1 and Hall 14-0.
When he’s not pitching, Wallace, who has signed to play for the University of Northern Colorado, might move from third base to shortstop.
Faith Christian, which lost to Eaton and runner-up Lamar in last year’s 3A tournament, will be led by senior Pierce Johnson, a Missouri State signee. Lamar got hot at the end of the season and returns Alex Peacock and Kelby Repp, either of whom who coach Dave Fassiotto said could be the No. 1 starter.
At least one team from the 2008 final eight won’t be back, as Roosevelt has moved up to 4A. Erie, which entered as the No. 2 seed, might have a tough time returning as coach Bob Bote resigned after the season.
TOP 10
1. Eaton
2. Faith Christian
3. Lamar
4. Brush
5. Manitou Springs
6. Valley
7. Holy Family
8. Cedaredge
9. Peyton
10. Bayfield
TOP PLAYERS
Mariano Carbajal, Faith Christian, Jr. INF-P
Paul Donahue, Kent Denver, Jr., C
Brandon Frank, Valley, Sr., OF
Evan Genders, Holy Family, Jr., OF
Sam Guzman, Brush, Sr., OF-P
Logan Hall, Eaton, Sr., OF
Garrett Harper, Lamar, Sr., OF-P
Robbie Holleran, Gunnison, Sr., P-OF
Jeff Huffmyer, Bayfield, Sr., OF
Jarrod Huwa, Valley, Sr., P
Pierce Johnson, Faith Christian, Sr., P
Chaunce Lindley, Cedaredge, Jr., INF-P
Matthew Lopez, Holy Family, Sr., INF
Jacob Machado, Bishop Machebeuf, Sr., INF
Arturo Maltos, Brush, Sr., P
Paul Manzella, Hotchkiss, Sr, OF-C
Tyler Patterson, Peyton, Sr., INF-P
Alex Peacock, Lamar, Sr., P-OF
Bennett Pickar, Eaton, Sr., C
Sam Prenter, Platte Canyon, Sr., P
Alex Reiter, Manitou Springs, Sr, P-C
Patrick Sullivan, Hotchkiss, Jr., P-C
Ryan Valdez, Clear Creek, Jr., C
Tyler Wallace, Eaton, Sr., P-INF
Dillon Whisman, Platte Canyon, Sr., INF-C
