Clearly, Thomas Jefferson’s coaching staff has a very high opinion of Kyle Freeland.
On Wednesday at Vinny Castilla Field, the senior left-hander fired a two-hit, 11-strikeout shutout. The always-competitive Spartans blanked host Abraham Lincoln 5-0 to snap the Lancers’ 11-game winning streak in an important Class 5A-4A Denver Prep League game.
Afterward, TJ pitching coach Doc Ritterbusch, familiar with all levels of the game, called it Freeland’s “worst performance in two years.” Ritterbusch smiled and said Freeland didn’t locate his pitches well, but don’t be alarmed by the criticism — he knows the Evansville-bound Freeland is gifted and definitely capable of more, as in leading the Spartans deep into the postseason.
“He’s a high school pitcher who knows how to pitch, and there aren’t many of them,” Ritterbusch said.
As it was, Freeland lifted TJ, ranked No. 8 in The Denver Post/9News 4A poll, to 6-1-1 overall, 3-0 in the DPL.
“I wasn’t on my best game, but I was able to fight through it and be a solid pitcher, and my team backed me up,” said Freeland, who retired the final 10 Lancers in order.
He permitted only two singles and walked two. Abraham Lincoln (11-1, 3-1), which is attaining new heights and was batting .455 entering the game, was 2-for-22. Nos. 6-9 in the order were a combined 0-for-9 with seven strikeouts.
“I was trying to attack the zone and make them hit the ball,” Freeland said.
Despite having four runners thrown out on the basepaths, TJ made it 2-0 in the third inning on a single by Joe Sedig, Freeland’s triple and a double by Austin Hearne. The Spartans added two more in the sixth on four singles and plated another in the seventh.
Mitchell Mankoff had two hits — TJ compiled 12 for the game — and scored twice.
For the Lancers, who didn’t back loser Eduardo Coronado, coach Jesse Vigil said: “We’re OK, we’ll be all right . . . and Freeland is good. He’s a good pitcher who got us at the wrong time. We won’t see someone like him (again) until the playoffs.”
Thomas Jefferson 002 002 1 — 5 12 0
Abraham Lincoln 000 000 0 — 0 2 1
Thomas Jefferson — Freeland p 4-1-1-1, Hearne ss 3-1-3-1, Maloney c 4-0-1-1, Walter 1b 4-1-2-0, Gamboa 3-0-1-1, S. Gonzales lf 0-0-0-0, Merecr rf 3-0-1-1, Sedig 3b 3-0-1-0, B. Gonzales c 2-0-0-0, Mankoff 2b 3-2-2-0. Totals 29-5-12-5.
Abraham Lincoln — Coronado p 3-0-1-0, Solano rf 3-0-0-0, Castillo ss 3-0-1-0, Davalos 3b 3-0-0-0, Hererra 1b 1-0-0-0, Chavez c 3-0-0-0, Diaz 2b 2-0-0-0, Sandoval cf 2-0-0-0, Mendoza lf 2-0-0-0. Totals 22-0-2-0.
E — Diaz. DP — Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson. SB — Mankoff. CS — Mankoff. LOB — Thomas Jefferson 5, Abraham Lincoln 3. 2B — Hearne. 3B — Walter, Freeland.
Batteries — Freeland and Maloney; Coronado and Chavez. W — Freeland (2-1-1). L — Coronado (3-1). HBP — Hearne (by Coronado). WP — Coronado. T — 1:43.
