Rebounding from a potentially devastating loss the night before, Cherry Creek on Saturday stayed alive in the Class 5A Championship Series with a 15-3 romp over Ponderosa at Bishop Machebeuf High School.
The victory moved the Bruins (20-4) into the tournament’s final four and a noon Friday matchup at All-City Field against the Series’ only remaining unbeaten team, three-time defending state champion Rocky Mountain.
Four Bruins — catcher Luke Flanagan, designated hitter Jon Shoutta, third baseman Jack Schutzius and right fielder P.J. Shaw — each had three RBIs. Cherry Creek had an eight-run second inning, featuring home runs from Shoutta (solo) and Shaw (two-run).
The Bruins’ Blade Kurilich threw six innings and allowed four hits before Ben Mordini pitched a hitless seventh.
On Friday, Cherry Creek had beaten Ralston Valley before falling 15-12 to Regis Jesuit after taking an 11-9 lead into the seventh inning. That prevented a Saturday Rocky Mountain-Cherry Creek matchup in the first weekend of the Series. Instead, it will come Friday.
“This is what we worked for, to play next week and get a chance to play Rocky,” said Flanagan, the Bruins’ senior catcher. “We broke down a little bit (against Regis Jesuit), and we just had to put it behind us. We’re ready to go. “
Ponderosa had advanced to the elimination game with a 17-6, five-inning rout of Pine Creek earlier Saturday. In that game, David Johnson went 5-for-5 with three doubles, and also fought his way through the five innings on the mound, allowing seven hits. First baseman Jordan Behn, third baseman Zane Knapp and designated hitter Mitch Gibbons all homered for the Mustangs. Also, center fielder Keegan Ghidotti singled, doubled and tripled, then added a home run against Cherry Creek.
