As it has for most of the season, is eyeing more than regular-season victories, such as Wednesday’s of host in the Class 4A Jefferson County League.
It’s not that the Farmers, ranked No. 1 in The Denver Post/9News 4A poll, are losing focus or have penciled themselves into the championship game. It’s quite the opposite. With a seasoned, talented core, they are seeking the necessary improvement to reach the classification’s highest end.
“We were sloppy,” said Farmers coach Adam Miller, whose team moved to 9-3 overall, 4-0 in league. “We gave away too may at-bats, and we have to get better, we have to be better a month from now. I think this was a good team for us to play, but we’re looking for improvement.”
Wheat Ridge booted two balls, had some shaky moments on the base paths and trailed 2-0 in the first inning, then took over with an offensive barrage that produced 16 hits and two six-run innings.
The Farmers also had senior righthander Charlie Land turn in another solid performance, permitting only one hit the rest of the way — all three hits he gave in the outing were singles — along with five strikeouts and zero walks. He retired the final eight Jaguars (8-3, 3-1) in order.
“That’s as good as I’ve seen Charlie (since the past season),” Miller said.
Land, headed to Colorado School of Mines, labored briefly in permitting the two unearned runs, then used his four-pitch repertoire to settle in. D’Evelyn had no answers.
“I had a couple of rough spots, but I got through it,” the 6-foot-3 Land said. “I knew we could come back from two runs.”
Farmers leadoff Alex Walker had three hits. Nick Swanson, Land, Ryan Wagner, Matt Zarlengo and Matt White added two each, with Swanson driving home three.
D’Evelyn, despite an early boost, faded quickly, committed four errors and went through three pitchers.
“You can’t do that,” Jaguars coach Dan Porreco said. “And (the Farmers) are a good club.”
Wheat Ridge 021 606 — 15 16 3
D’Evelyn 200 000 — 2 3 4
Wheat Ridge: Walker cf 5-2-3-1, Swanson 2b 5-2-2-3, Land p 5-0-2-1, Lonergan cr 0-1-0-0, Shannon rf 2-2-1-1, Wagner 3b 4-2-2-2, Zarlengo 1b 3-2-2-1, Kovach lf 3-1-1-0, Tuller ss 3-1-1-1, White dh 3-2-2-2, Wylde c 0-0-0-0. Totals 33-15-16-12.
D’Evelyn: L. Stratman ss 1-0-0-0, Cleary ss 2-0-0-0, Neely cf 3-1-0-0, J. Stratman 1b-lf 3-0-0-0, Basil rf 3-1-1-0, Mapes p-1b 2-0-1-2, Phillips p 1-0-0-0, Goings cr 0-0-0-0, Toll lf-ss 2-0-1-0, Swift 3b 2-0-0-0, French c-p 2-0-0-0, Carland 2b 2-0-0-0. Totals 23-2-3-2.
E: Swift, Sanson, Wagner, Mapes 2, L. Stratman, Walker. DP: D’Evelyn. LOB: Wheat Ridge 5, D’Evelyn 3. SB: Toll, Basil. CS: Lonergan, Shannon. 2B: Zarlengo, Land, Wagner, Swanson.
Batteries: Land and Wylde; Mapes, Phillips (4), French (6) and French, Toll (6). W: Land (6-1). L: Mapes. WP: Phillips, French. Balk: Phillips. Time: 2:11.
