Rams Face Tough Competition at Spring Blast Tournament

The 2008 Green Mountain Rams took another step toward becoming an elite baseball team this weekend, as they battled some of Colorado's toughest AA teams at South Jeffco's Spring Blast Tournament. The games featured some outstanding baseball and provided the kind of "tough" playing time that will make a difference as the Ram's enter the second half of league play.

As typifies this Rams' team, every player contributed to the games against the Columbine Crushers (13-5), the Longmont Stealth (9-17) and finally the Eastern Colorado Cobras (5-13).

Some of the individual accomplishments include:
Alex

Continuing to demonstrate tremendous discipline at the plate, Alex challenged every pitcher he faced. When drawing a walk, he would shake his head wishing he could have smashed yet another line drive for the team. Alex caught a fly ball during the game against the Cobras and showed his improving arm strength by throwing it on a rope to Ben McHugh at third base.

Arley
When Coach Dave handed the ball to Arley during the final inning of the tournament, Arley didn't hesitate to take the mound. He put every ounce of his energy into trying to stop the rally of the Eastern Colorado Cobras. Arley also made some great plays second base, and hit a single in the game against the Columbine Crushers.

Austin

One of the Ram's most enthusiastic players, Austin got more valuable playing time at second base and short stop during the tournament. He also made several plays in the outfield. He continues to swing the bat hard, and kept the team's rally going against the Crushers in the first game of the tournament.

Ben B.

Having earned the spot as the second batter in the Ram's lineup, Ben demonstrated his speed around the bases and determination to help the team score runs. He had several strong hits during the tournament. Like his hero Garrett Atkins, Ben did an outstanding job playing third base.

Ben M.

The Rams' needed a hit when Ben took the plate against the Longmont Stealth in the second game of the tournament, and Ben didn't disappoint. He smashed a hard hit double far into center field. Ben also got some valuable playing time at third base and showed his coaches that he's quite handy with the glove.


Colton
When Colton took the mound for the Ram's in the game against the Crushers, he proved again that he has the mental toughness to close the game. At third base, Colton was part of an exciting pickle during the team's final game, and drew new respect for the team's outfielders as he chased ball's down in left field.

Garrett
In perhaps the best back-to-back plays of the season, Garrett fielded consecutive fly balls in the game against the Eastern Colorado Cobras. Each time the outfielder produced the ball, his grin was a mile wide.

Jake

Proving why he's the team's stingiest pitcher , Jake shut down the Columbine Crushers during his only outing during the tournament. As the team's lead-off batter, he found a way to manufacture critical runs during each game. He also made several outstanding plays at short stop, throwing his body down to keep the ball from escaping to the outfield.

Joe

The Ram's are lucky to have Joe's impressive talent at catcher. It's clear that he's improving his game each week. During the final game of the tournament, Joe caught several Cobra's in a pickle between third and home. His quick arm and ability to run the batters down prevented several runs.

Trevor
The Ram's have come to rely on Trevor's powerful bat, but it was his first outing as a pitcher that will be the lasting memory from the Spring Blast tournament. With steely determination, Trevor kept the Rams in the game for more than three innings of play, baffeling nearly every batter he faced.

Way to go, Trevor!

Wyatt

Whether it's playing short stop, batting, or playing pitcher, Wyatt has a way of making baseball look easy. He made several outstanding plays in the field at both short stop and first base. During his pitching outing against Longmont, he showed that he's gaining more control over his cannon of an arm.