He called it an “old man’s record,” but that’s what can happen when someone coaches for 37 years, wins multiple titles and makes time to develop younger generations and teach them the game they all love.
There’s no dust or cobwebs, just some gray hairs and wrinkles on coach Marc Johnson’s 600th victory, attained Tuesday 8-0 by Cherry Creek over Mullen in Centennial League play at Bill Swift Field.
“I’m blessed,” said Johnson (600-138 career), who had four former Bruins on Monday’s opening-day rosters in the big leagues. “I’ve been associated with great kids, great parents. We truly have a family in our baseball program. We’re proud of every kid, whether he plays in college . . . The big thing we’re trying to do is have fun and enjoy it.”
The Bruins (8-2 overall, 5-1 in league) went about their business, as is usual in Johnson’s regime, with timely hitting, solid pitching and sound defense.
In another version of the matchup that is recognized as tops across the board in big schools, the Bruins rang up 14 hits, took control with a four-run fourth inning, then ripped three solo home runs in a span of four batters in the seventh to seal it.
All the while, Tito Nava was in command. The right-hander (5-1) permitted a leadoff single, then only a walk until the seventh inning. He had strings of seven and 11 consecutive batters retired, finished with a two-hit shutout and struck out 10 Mustangs (8-3, 5-2), five caught looking.
Only Eaton’s Jim Danley (648) has more prep wins than Johnson.
Cherry Creek 000 410 3 — 8 14 0
Mullen 000 000 0 — 0 2 0
Cherry Creek — G. McCabe cf 3-0-1-1, Satherlie 2b 3-0-2-0, Shantz 3b 4-0-0-0, Mielnicki 1b 4-2-2-1, Keller dh 3-2-2-0, C. McCabe 4-1-2-2, Leikam c 2-0-1-1, Phillips cr-ph 1-1-0-0, Moore-Lister ph 1-1-1-1, Baus lf 3-1-1-1, Price ss 3-0-2-0, Nava p 0-0-0-0. Totals 31-8-14-7.
Mullen — Samuels 3b 3-0-1-0, Keelan ss 3-0-0-0, Ji. Sandberg c 3-0-1-0, Jo. Sandberg cr 0-0-0-0, Gilmore lf 3-0-0-0, Lahn rf 3-0-0-0, McGuire cf 2-0-0-0, Ross dh 2-0-0-0, Webb 1b 2-0-0-0, Smith 2b 2-0-0-0, Golesh p 0-0-0-0, Rusley p 0-0-0-0. Totals 23-0-2-0.
DP — Mullen 2. LOB — Cherry Creek 6, Mullen 2. SAC — G. McCabe. SB — Keller. 2B — Price, Mielnicki. HR — Mielnicki, solo in seventh; C. McCabe, solo in seventh; Moore-Liester, solo in seventh. Batteries — Nava and Leikam; Golesh, Rusley (4) and Ji. Sandberg. W — Nava (5-1). L — Golesh (2-2). Balk — Rusley. T — 1:42.
Neil H. Devlin: 303-954-1714 or ndevlin@denverpost.com
