LAKEWOOD — Some doubted Mountain View’s credibility as a defined front-runner in Class 4A. Those doubts were bashed Saturday.
The top-seeded Mountain Lions slugged, clubbed and mashed — pick any adjective that describes ferocious hitting — their way to a 26-0 rout of Rock Canyon at All Star Park to advance unscathed to this week’s final rounds of the title series.
“I think this proves we can really hit the ball and that we’re not going to back down or take a day off,” Lions shortstop Keeton Krause said.
En route to its 20th consecutive win, Mountain View (23-1) scored nine runs in the first inning and 15 in the third, and it wasn’t because Rock Canyon kicked the ball around. The Lions hit the ball and hit it loud, an onslaught that ceased only because the mercy rule was invoked after the top of the fifth inning.
Nick Miller continued his tournament-long tear, going 3-for-5 with a homer and six RBIs (12-for-15, three homers, 12 RBIs in three games).
Derek Neeper hit two homers. Luke Baumann and Steve Ryan combined to drive in nine runs from the No. 8 and No. 9 slots in the order.
While Rock Canyon’s nonprimary pitchers struggled mightily in the second day of the tournament (the Jaguars used five), Mountain View No. 3 Chandler Conley limited the Jaguars to one hit.
The powerful Mountain Lions will be the only team that can afford a loss in the final rounds, which also will include Rock Canyon, Broomfield and Greeley West.
