Golden baseball completes league sweep of Standley Lake
GOLDEN — Golden’s baseball team has successful maneuvered through rough spring weather and a previously undefeated Standley Lake team this week.
The Demons (7-4, 2-0 in Class 4A Jeffco League) pulled off a 12-2 victory over Standley Lake on Friday afternoon a few days after yet another snowstorm swept through the Denver Metro Area and wreaked havoc on prep baseball schedules.
“I don’t care who you are playing. You want to be 2-0 off the bat,” Golden coach Jackie McBroom said of the Demons getting off to a 2-0 start in the 4A Jeffco conference. “Our goal is to get our games in and not get backed up. I was happy we were able to play today when a lot of other teams weren’t.”
A tarp given to Golden High School by the Colorado School of Mines baseball program helped the Demons have their field ready for the second go-around against the Gators. Golden defeated Standley Lake 9-3 on Tuesday.
Standley Lake (5-2, 0-2) jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Nate Adams started the game with a single off Golden ace pitcher Ben McLaughlin. A pair of Demon errors allowed Adams and Bryce Cooley to score.
Golden had to rally while facing Standley Lake ace lefty pitcher Brady Rose, who came into the game with a 2-0 record and 0.39 ERA.
“He (Rose) is a good pitcher. He is a good left-handed pitcher,” McBroom said of the Gators’ ace. “We didn’t necessarily crush the ball on him, but we got timely hits and were able to work his pitch-count up.”
An RBI single by junior Sam Vogal in the second inning, along with a bases loaded walk of junior Zane Covey and RBI sacrifice fly by senior Joe Quintana in the third inning gave Golden its first lead of 3-2.
The fourth inning proved to be a breakout one for the Demons. Golden sent 10 batters to the plate and all with two outs, scored seven runs to take a commanding 10-2 lead.
A huge play came with the bases loaded. McLaughlin ripped a two-run single to left field and drew a throw from the Gators’ catcher as McLaughlin attempted to take second base on the throw to the plate. The throw from Adams sailed over second base and past the centerfielder, allowing sophomore James Douthit and McLaughlin to score.
“I think that play where they threw the ball away changed the game,” McLaughlin said of the play that scored four runs for the Demons. “After that we ran away with it.”
Quintana put the icing on the cake with a three-run home run to close the inning. Kevin Starnes relieved Rose on the mound with Quintana coming to the plate. The Golden senior jump on an early fastball for his and the Demons first big fly of the season.
“I was kind of frustrated,” Quintana admitted after striking out and flying out in his first two at-bats. “I was just trying to square a ball up and wherever it went it went.”
Where it went was over the fence in right-centerfield.
“He (Quintana) did a great job,” McBroom said of his starting shortstop jumping on an early fastball. “He put the barrel on the ball and went the other way with it.”
RBIs by Douthit and McLaughlin in the bottom of the fifth inning induced the 10-run mercy rule to end the game. McLaughlin picked up his third victory on the hill giving up two runs while striking out nine batters.
McBroom actually warmed up a pitcher in the first inning when he was a little concerned about McLaughlin, but the Demons’ ace settled in.
“After our Denver North game I’ve been battling a couple of injuries. I didn’t know how long I’d go,” McLaughlin said after striking out nine batters in five innings. “I went with the flow. It felt good.”
Golden is scheduled to host Green Mountain in another league game at 11 a.m. Saturday, but as the Demons worked on the field after the win snow flurries began to fly.
Standley Lake came into the start of conference play this week undefeated, but will look to get back on track with a trio of non-league games starting with Longmont Christian at 11 a.m. tomorrow at Standley Lake High School.
The Gators get back into league play against road-and-home series against Littleton on Thursday and Saturday next week.
