It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out the aerodynamics that turned the Cherokee Trail baseball stadium into a launching pad Saturday.
It was simple. Get the ball up in the air and watch the wind sail it over the outfield fence.
Broomfield hitters worked the formula correctly seven times, including three by designated hitter Drew Clark, and the Eagles trounced Pueblo South 32-7 in a game stopped after five innings to advance to this week’s semifinals of the Class 4A state tournament.
Pueblo South’s fate may have been determined in a 20-19 victory over Silver Creek in the day’s first game. The Colts got just 30 minutes rest after Will Woods drove in the winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning. Coach J.R. Crowell pretty much used up his pitching staff to get the Colts to the second game.
“We all hit the ball pretty well today,” Clark said of the Eagles. “Obviously the wind was a factor. We came in with the mentality that this was our last game of the season and we had to win it. We get Mountain View (next) and we lost to them during the season. We’ll play hard, leave it all on the field and see what happens.”
When the 5 hours, 18 minutes of “bomb ball” were over, 18 homers, 78 runs and 75 hits were in the scorebook.
“The wind was a factor all day long,” Crowell said. “That first game took something out of us. The 18 home runs in a doubleheader is an incredible number.”
It wasn’t a good day for pitchers, except for Broomfield right-hander Nick Halliday.
He hadn’t allowed a hit when he left after only 2 2/3 innings. Coach Garren Estes decided to save his ace for this week.
Halliday said he had to give his coach a hard time about leaving with a no-hitter going, but understood the decision.
“He said next week was more important and seeing that we had a big lead, it was the best thing for the team,” Halliday said.
Estes put in the strategy of getting the lead early and taking advantage of the elements. The Eagles followed the directions by jumping to a 20-0 lead after three innings.
“They had a long game physically and mentally in the first game,” Estes said. “As good as the game was for them by winning, it was a good game for us too. I told our players we wanted a fast start. No question, if you got the ball up, it would go out.”
Irv Moss: 303-954-1296 or imoss@denverpost.com
