Tommy Clouthier understands baseball is a game of failure.
But there’s room for redemption, too, no matter the stage.
In the Class 5A Championship Series at All-City Field on Friday, Clouthier’s two-base throwing error allowed top- seeded Rampart to tie the game in the top of the seventh inning, but his two-out, opposite-field single won it in the bottom half.
Clouthier’s two-strike hit produced a 6-5 victory for the Golden Eagles (19-4) and a spot in today’s winners’ bracket game against two-time defending champion Rocky Mountain.
“I was trying to make up for my error,” the sophomore said. “I told my teammates to let me hit in that last inning for us, and I’ll win it right there.”
He did in a wild finish. Rampart (21-2) had opened the game with six consecutive hits for a 4-0 lead without the Golden Eagles recording an out.
However, Mountain Vista rallied to take the lead in the third on a three-run double by Tucker Cross and a two-run home run by Brian Caggiano.
Cross, who settled in nicely after his shaky start, allowed just two baserunners from the second to the sixth. He walked Rampart No. 9 hitter Alex Koehler to open the seventh, then Clouthier snared a sacrifice attempt in the air. But his errant throw to first base on a double-play attempt went into right field.
“I just kind of lost my target running; it was probably a better choice not to throw the ball,” Clouthier said.
The Rams’ Zach Looney singled to tie it at 5 before Eric Anderson, who scattered seven hits in a 5-0 defeat of Green Mountain in an opener, relieved and got a double-play grounder.
Mountain Vista nearly blew its chance to end it. Anderson was hit by a pitch but was thrown out trying to steal second base. After a groundout, Cross walked, Caggiano singled and Clouthier delivered.
“That’s the kind of kid he is, tons of resiliency, plays his tail off,” Golden Eagles coach Mark Goldsberry said.
Rampart, which earlier downed Cherokee Trail 5-2, kept knocking but came up just short. The Rams will meet the Grandview-Heritage winner today for the opportunity to play next weekend.
“It’s not the end of the world,” Rams coach Adam Strah said.
Rampart 400 000 1 — 5 8 0
Mountain Vista 005 000 1 — 6 9 2
Rampart — Schicktanz 3b 4-1-1-0, Looney c 3-1-2-1, Ortega lf 3-1-1-1, Kaiser cf 3-1-2-2, Forrest dh 3-0-1-0, Gieseking cr-rf 0-0-0-0, Melander 1b 3-0-1-1, Karlik ss 2-0-0-0, Watkins p 3-0-0-0, Koehler 2-1-0-0, Whitbeck rf-p 0-0-0-0. Totals 26-5-8-5.
Mountain Vista — McFadden lf 3-0-0-0, Newman 2b 4-1-1-0, Anderson ss-p 3-1-2-0, Kissner cf 4-0-0-0, Cross p-3b 2-1-2-3, Struns cr 0-0-0-0, Caggiano c 4-1-2-2, Clouthier 3b-ss 3-0-1-1, Hartog 1b 2-0-0-0, Price ph 1-0-0-0, Mallinger dh 2-1-1-0, Morales rf 0-0-0-0. Totals 28-6-9-6.
E — Cross, Clouthier. DP — Mountain Vista 2. LOB — Rampart 4, Mountain Vista 5. Caught stealing — Anderson. 2B — Kaiser, Cross. HR — Caggiano, one on in third.
Batteries — Watkins, Whitbeck (7) and Looney; Cross, Anderson (7) and Caggiano. W — Anderson (8-0). L — Watkins. WP — Watkins. HBP — Anderson (by Watkins). T — 1:11.
Neil H. Devlin: 303-954-1714 or ndevlin@denverpost.com
