Monarch baseball blows past Ralston Valley

ARVADA — Fittingly, Monarch pitcher Landon Resch’s ball cap blew off his head and started rolling into left field after the junior struck out Ralston Valley sophomore Cole Pfeifer for the final out Saturday.

With constant 40 mph winds and gusts in the 60s, the Coyotes and Mustangs battled the elements and each other in the non-league game at Ralston Valley High School. 

Monarch (3-5, 1-1 in Class 5A Front Range League) came away with a 9-2 victory.

The Coyotes put the game on ice with a 5-run top of the fifth inning. Ralston Valley junior pitcher Grant Belcher got two quick outs to start the fifth in the tight 4-2 game. However, the Coyotes mounted a 2-out rally.

Senior Ryan Lewison started the rally with a walk. Seniors Clay Hafner and Nathan Rutledge had back-to-back hits to keep things going. Junior Zander Belland walked to set the table for Monarch’s No. 9-hole hitter. Senior Row Tucker delivered with a 3-run home run off of Ralston Valley junior pitcher Liam McGrew who had come in relief for Belcher.

The blast by Tucker gave Monarch a 9-2 lead. 

Monarch starting pitcher — junior Max Webb — threw a solid five innings. He gave up two runs on five hits while striking out six. Resch pitched the final two innings for the Coyotes. He gave up just one hit and struck out four.

The Coyotes get back into league play when they host Rocky Mountain (4-2-1, 0-1-1) on Tuesday, April 9.

Ralston Valley (4-4) had its 3-game win streak come to an end. The Mustangs scored their lone two runs in the bottom of the second inning. Senior Marshall Strange and Logan Madden drove in the Ralston Valley runs.

Logan and fellow senior Laird Jones both had two hits, but it wasn’t enough as the Mustangs managed just two hits in the final four innings.

Ralston Valley will try to get back on the win column when the Mustangs host ThunderRidge (2-8) on Tuesday, April 9. The Grizzlies are actually coached by former Pomona baseball coach E.J. Mapps, who guided Pomona to the 5A state title in 2003. Mapps is in his first year coaching at ThunderRidge.