Matt Ogden was looking forward to his first outing at Billy Swift Field.
Ultimately, the Smoky Hill senior enjoyed it so much that he tossed a three-hit shutout, was 3-for-3 at the plate, drove home three runs, doubled twice and reached base four times.
Bound for Michigan, the right-hander struck out 11 Mustangs as the Buffaloes handled Mullen 8-0 on Saturday to snag a vital Class 5A Centennial League victory. Both teams are 11-5 overall, 6-5 in league, with three games to play this week in the battle for the fourth and final postseason berth. The two trail Cherry Creek by a game, and Cherokee Trail and Grandview by two.
“We had to have this one and we went into the season knowing we can only lose five (league) games,” coach Scott Henry said of his Buffs, ranked No. 9 in The Denver Post/9News 5A poll. “Certainly, we had it lined up with Matty . . . he has been tremendous. And we had an absolutely horrible practice (Friday). But we came out with a real aggressive, we’re-not-going-to-get-beat attitude, so that was cool.”
So was Ogden, who was in command and threw his second three-hitter of the week to improve to 5-2. He stranded six Mustangs (ranked eighth), kept them biting on pitches away and challenged when necessary.
“First game ever pitching here,” he said. “I was preparing all week for this. The mechanics were just in order and I think that helped, definitely. I don’t think anymore. I just play.”
The Buffs went through three Mullen pitchers. Cameron Snyder added two hits; Jason Williams had two RBIs.
Mullen, which was coming off three consecutive one-run games — including a 6-5 victory at Smoky Hill on April 21 — and seven of its previous nine, never got anything going to seriously challenge.
“(Ogden) did a good job, he shut us down,” coach Vince Porreco said.
Smoky Hill 030 112 1 — 8 8 0
Mullen 000 000 0 — 0 3 0
Smoky Hill — Bothwell 2b 4-2-1-0, Odgen p 3-1-3-3, Williams ss 3-0-1-2, Fessel c 1-0-0-1, Hill dh 3-2-0-0, Wright rf 4-0-1-0, Snyder cf 3-1-2-1, Bandy 2-1-0-0, Gaines 3b 3-1-0-1, Klatt lf 0-0-0-0. Totals 26-8-8-8.
Mullen — Haggerty dh 2-0-1-0, Silva cf 3-0-0-0, Samuels ss 2-0-0-0, Davis lf-p 2-0-0-0, Ehrhart rf 3-0-0-0, Bush 3b 3-0-0-0, Bayers 1b 2-0-1-0, Healy c 3-0-1-0, Comito 2b 2-0-0-0, Mispagel p 0-0-0-0, DeCristino p 0-0-0-0, Branigan ph 1-0-0-0. Totals 24-0-3-0.
LOB — Smoky Hill 7, Mullen 6. SAC — Snyder. CS — Fessel. 2B — Haggerty, Ogden 2, Snyder, Bayers. 3B — Williams.
Batteries — Ogden and Fessel; Mispagel, DeCristino (5), Davis (6) and Healy. W — Ogden (5-2). L — Mispagel (0-2). HBP — Samuels (by Ogden); Bandy (DeCristino); Davis (by Ogden). WP — DeCristino). T — 1:57.
Neil H. Devlin: 303-954-1714 or ndevlin@denverpost.com
