Minutes after watching a home run fly over his head and a double that surely left a dent in the center-field fence, Chris Roglen sprinted from the outfield midway through Saturday afternoon at All-City Field, reached the infield, then, like a super hero, took off into the air and overshot his teammates’ dogpile near the mound..
“As soon as I hit the air, I was, like, OK, I missed it,” he said.
No matter. Roglen and the Rocky Mountain Lobos haven’t missed much the past four years. With a 9-4 victory over a heavy-hearted, determined Ralston Valley, they won their fourth Class 5A Championship Series and left a legacy that probably stands with any other program since the game was sanctioned in 1950.
The teenagers who played together as youths in Fort Collins were decisive. They were 20-1 in the Championship Series, won their 21st consecutive game in 2010 and took their 15th playoff victory in a row.
And they made Marco Gonzales a winner in his fourth consecutive title game, believed to be a record nationally.
“I really don’t have any words to say other than I’m just so proud of these kids,” Lobos coach Scott Bullock said.
Gonzales, the former skinny freshman who grew into the state’s top pitcher, a substantial position player and hitter, and signed with Gonzaga, struck out 11 Mustangs, including the first two on six pitches, and belted a three-run home run in the fourth inning to put the game out of reach.
“There’s nothing better than going out there right away to set the tone,” Gonzales said.
Bullock marvelled at his left-hander: “He’s so clutch. It was awesome to watch him.”
The Lobos (24-2) took control in the middle innings. Twice they scored on wild pitchers from Ralston Valley (20-6) starter Matt Jones. Jess Amedee ripped two run-scoring doubles. Pierce Trumper had a wind-blown triple among two hits. Nick McLimans scored twice. Bryan Matz had two hits as did No. 9 hitter Zac Chuvala. J.T. Leidholt had an RBI single.
If it seems like the Lobos’ lineup goes on forever
“Even our bench players could have come in and done the job,” Chuvala said.
As for the Mustangs of Jefferson County, they displayed big hearts the past two weekends after learning former teammate Nate Jurney passed from bone cancer. Coach Shane Freehling watched them battle.
“We had a great run and we just tip our caps,” he said. “Marco Gonzales is awfully good and it was the Marco Gonzales Show today hitting and pitchings I accept this (second-place) trophy with pride.”
And Rocky Mountain players, with smiles and expressions you’d expect to see on the faces of lottery winners, boarded their team bus that probably could drive itself from All-City Field to Fort Collins and back on memory.
“Baseball’s the hardest game to win,” Roglen said. “I was hoping to get just one title.”
Ralston Valley001 100 2 — 4 6 0
Rocky Mountain031 500 x — 9 11 0
Ralston Valley — Chavez cf 4-0-0-0, Spirek 2b 2-0-0-0, Jones p-ss 3-0-0-0, Herrin 3b 3-1-1-1, Roth dh 2-0-0-0, Dwyer c 3-1-1-1, Robinson rf 3-1-1-0, Goodenow ss-1b 2-1-1-0, Brown lf 3-0-2-1, Yokley 1b-p 1-0-0-0. Totals 27-4-6-3.
Rocky Mountain — White 2b 2-1-0-0, Matz c 3-1-2-1, Gonzales p 4-1-1-3, Ferguson cr 0-0-0-0, Roglen cf 4-0-0-0, Trumper ss 4-2-2-0, McLimans rf 3-2-1-0, Amedee 1b 2-1-2-2, Leidholt lf 3-0-1-1, Chuvala 3b 3-1-2-0. Totals 28-9-10-7.
LOB — Ralston Valley 3, Rocky Mountain 6. SB — White. 2B — Brown, Matz, Amedee 2Spirek. HR — Herrin, solo in fourth; Gonzales, two on in fourth; Dwyer, solo in seventh. Batteries — Jones, Yokley (4) and Dwyer; Gonzales and Matz. W — Gonzales (11-0), 6 H, 11 K’s. L — Jones (4-3), 3.2 IP, 8 ER, 3 BBs.. WP — Jones 2, Gonzales. HBP — McLimans (by Jones); White (by Jones).
Neil H. Devlin: 303-954-1714 or ndevlin@denverpost.comm
