GREELEY - Every kid grows up with a dream.
Some of those kids grow up with the dream of standing in the batter's box with the game tied in the bottom of the seventh inning and getting the walk-off hit.
In order for Eaton High School to clinch its fourth state championship in a row, someone's dreams had to be realized and as senior Lucas Stone stood in that batters box, the ding of the metal to the ball made that happen.
Stone's hit sealed the Reds' 6-5 comeback victory over University High School to win the 2024 Colorado High School Activities Association Baseball State Championship.
“I told coach (Dale) Hughes before I went up there ‘these are the moments you live for,” Stone said. “But, I’ve got to give credit to everyone that started that inning before us, they got on and let me do my job and I just knew I had to execute.”
Liam Whalen is just one of the teammates that Stone was referencing, and the reason that Stone got to have that moment.
Whalen tripled bringing in the game tying run and notching his third RBI of the day. While he ultimately reached third, for just a second the crowd held their breaths as he slid into the bag on a tight play. According to Whalen, that was the hardest he’s ever ran.
While the play looked tight, coach Todd Hernandez had no doubts in his mind that Whalen would reach third.
“He’s really fast, I think I would have had to go out there and tackle him to stop him right there because he was juiced up,” Hernandez said. “To be honest with you I really just wanted to make sure Andrew (Loyd) scored from first to tie things up. Liam runs really well, so yeah, we’re going to test it every time.”
On the mound, Gunnar Garrison was able to secure the win after relieving Mitch Haythorn in the third inning.
Garrison came in an uncomfortable position with the team down 5-2, but the sophomores' poise in tight situations allowed Eaton’s offense to continue to battle and chip away at the lead.
“That was kind of one of those situations that we had talked through with the coaching staff,” Hernandez said. “And we said ‘all right, when we are in, if we go to this situation, if things go haywire early and we need to pull Mitch early, let’s go to Gunnar and lets have him go as far as he can. Decrease the gap to get to the seventh, but let’s do everything we can to win the first game and not play for the second game.’”
Despite the early adversity that Eaton faced, four-time consecutive victories don't just happen. It takes grit, guts and perseverance to achieve great feats and Eaton showcased all three of those for a fourth time Saturday afternoon.
“I mean we just never give up,” Whalen said. “Never have, never will, you just kind of have to have that mentality.”
And that’s why for the first time since 2004 — when Eaton also did it — the Reds were crowned four-time state champions.
“I think it’s just super special because I’m doing it with the people I love and care about so much and have been playing with my entire life,” Stone said. “So I am just super happy that I did it with them.”