returned to the scene of his previous starting assignment, at All-City Field. Legend had given him the ball March 24 and he pitched into the fourth inning in a 14-0 whipping of George Washington in a nonleague game in which others were purposely given mound work.
But Sunday’s stakes were monumentally higher — the senior was handed the ball again and went six innings in coming through for Legend, which downed 2-1 and roared into Friday’s next rounds as the team to beat in the Class 5A Championship Series.
Despite walking seven and striking out only two, the most important number was how many runs he allowed — one. nabbed the save. The Titans are 19-4 and will have to be beaten twice this week in the double-elimination format.
In all, Legend has won three Series games by a combined 8-3. No, said he wouldn’t have believed it for his fourth-year program’s second season in 5A.
However, Trujillo, ordinarily a reliever, was told to go as long as he could … and he did so as if he were the Energizer Bunny.
“I started off not hitting my spots, getting behind in the count, but I just kept going and going,” Trujillo said.
He stranded seven Falcons through five innings and pitched a 1-2-3 sixth before giving way to Honahan. And he had no problem with it.
“I like it,” he said.
Said an elated Fellers: “(Trujillo) did a fantastic job.”
The Titans took the lead in the fifth inning on a walk, one of three Falcons errors and a double by . Surprisingly, it was all they needed.
Highlands Ranch (17-7), which joins Cherry Creek and Regis Jesuit as final four teams, wasted a strong showing by No. 3 thrower as it managed only two hits. ‘s RBI single in the first wasn’t enough.
But tight, lower-scoring games have proven the norm in these playoffs. Earlier Sunday at All-City, second-seeded Grandview was able to slip past Dakota Ridge 3-1. However, the Wolves led top-seeded Cherry Creek into the bottom of the seventh, only to have the Bruins erupt for four runs and win 6-5. In what he termed a “nerve-wracking” at-bat, ‘s two-run triple tied it, then he came home on ‘s deep sacrifice fly.
And at Bishop Machebeuf, Pine Creek used late heroics, two home runs and five RBIs by to outlast Ralston Valley 11-8 — only to fall prey to Regis Jesuit, the defending champion that will play for another day after a rousing 6-4 victory.
Strong pitching and more restricted bats have made it a different postseason, and Legend loves it.
“We preached all year that pitching and defense were our strengths,” Fellers said.
Neil H. Devlin: 303-954-1714 or ndevlin@denverpost.com
