LITTLETON — It took 2 hours, 42 minutes to complete. There were a 35-minute rain and lightning delay and numerous temperature swings. The teams each used multiple pitchers and combined for 18 runs, 23 hits, five home runs, four errors and three double plays.
Indeed, Jefferson County baseball, where a little of everything can be seen, endures.
As it was, Class 5A Dakota Ridge outlasted 4A Wheat Ridge 11-7 in nonleague play on Wednesday.
In a mix of sharp play going forward as well as spiced with taking steps backward, the marathon set up the regular season’s stretch run.
“It was like a doubleheader,” said Dakota Ridge (8-2) coach Jeff Legault, whose team is ranked No. 4 in The Denver Post 5A coaches poll.
The Eagles, in playing just their second home game, next get a regular 5A Jeffco schedule. Legault said he made it clear to them that “8-2 means nothing. If you don’t finish in the top four, you don’t go anywhere (and miss districts). You have to come out and play.”
Being idle for a week after an out-of-state trip probably hasn’t helped, Legault added, but the time to deliver and draw experience from a higher-end nonleague slate is here.
“I definitely think we’re ready,” said Eagles senior Steven Wilson, who has signed to play at Santa Clara. “We just have to be there mentally every day, which we always haven’t been.”
Wilson, who picked up the victory, surrendered his first run in 2012 but was 3-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs. He came on for junior left-hander A.J. Valerio, who wasn’t sharp in two innings, but also knocked in three runs.
Wheat Ridge (7-3) homered twice but trailed throughout — the Farmers gave up a nine-run third inning.
Wheat Ridge: 101 300 2 — 7 11 2
Dakota Ridge: 009 011 x — 11 12 2
Wheat Ridge: Swanson p-cf 4-1-2-0, Ortega 3b-p 4-0-2-1, Lane Wagener cr 0-1-0-0, Kovach cf 4-1-2-3, Bradley 1b 4-0-1-1, Lonergan ss 4-1-0-0, Dimick dh 4-1-1-2, Ruark c 0-0-0-0, Kubasta rf 4-1-2-0, Shipp 3b-2b 2-1-0-0, Campbell lf 1-0-0-0, Ricigliano 1-0-0-0, Allen p 1-0-1-0. Totals: 33-7-11-7.
Dakota Ridge: Kornmann cf 3-1-1-1, Valerio p-1b 3-1-2-3, Ekman rf 2-1-0-0, Wilson 1b-p 4-1-3-3, Faircloth cr 0-1-0-0, Nesselhuf 3b 4-1-2-3, Guerra dh 2-0-0-0, Carland ph 1-0-0-0, Morrison c 0-0-0-0, Wallin ss 4-1-1-0, Schley 2b 2-3-2-1, Kotarba lf 3-1-2-0. Totals: 28-11-12-11.
E: Swanson, Lonergan, Schley 2. DP: Dakota Ridge 2, Wheat Ridge 1. LOB: Wheat Ridge 6, Dakota Ridge 6. CS: Kormann. SAC: Kotarba. 2B: Valerio, Kovach, Kubasta, Allen. HR: Kovach, solo in third; Nessulhuf, two on in third; Schley, solo in fifth; Wilson, solo in sixth; Dimick, one on in seventh.
Batteries: Swanson, Ortega (3), Allen (5) and Ruark; Valerio, Wilson (3), Silva (6) and Morrison W: Wilson. L: Swanson HBP: Ekman (by Swanson); Schley (by Ortega); Valerio (by Allen). WP: Allen. T: 2:42.
Neil H. Devlin: 303-954-1714 or ndevlin@denverpost.com
