Looking back, it seems as if the pressure of becoming AA League Champions may have been too much for the 10-year-old Green Mountain Rams to handle as they went to the final weeks of the season. Facing two tough teams in Wheat Ridge and Ralston Valley, the Rams offense and defense wasn't up to the challenge.
The burgeoning thunderstorm was an ominous sign as the game against Wheat Ridge began, and the top of the Rams order only scored one run.
Leadoff batter Austin Jones started the game on a good note by drawing a walk. Arley Anderson moved him to second base off a grounder that was fielded by the first baseman. Next, Alex Haussmann belted a single to the outfield and scored Jones. But Haussmann got stranded on third as the n
ext two batters struck out.
The Farmers batters, on the other hand, pounded a rusty Jake Staley, who hadn't pitched in nearly 10 days. By the end of the inning, they had tallied five runs.
Staley started the second inning by drawing a walk, but the next three hitters were struck out in order. In the top of the second inning, the Farmers added another two runs to their total. It was the last runs they would score, but it proved to be too much for the Rams to overcome.
In the next two innings, Benjamin Boyd, Colton Faubion, and Wyatt Featherstorm all drew walks. Featherston scored off the bat of Trevor Willson, who posted by far the best hit of the game, a monster triple down the third base line.
In the fifth and final inning, the Boyd struck out, followed by Faubion who grounded out. Jones drew his second walk of the game, and was scored off the bat of Arley Anderson, who smacked only the third hit of the game. When Haussmann popped up a fly ball to shallow center field, the game ended.
"That was a tough loss," said the coaches at the end of the game. "We're a better team than how we played. We'll get 'em next time."
Final Score: Wheat Ridge 9, Rams 4
Two days later, the Rams faced a Ralston Valley team that was looking to even the score against the Rams. The Cardinals had lost their first game of the season to the Rams, and it was clear that the players were looking for a chance at redemption.
The game began with the Cardinals pitcher throwing a blistering pitch to strike out leadoff batter Austin Jones. Arley Anderson had better luck drawing a walk. He quickly stole second and third, and was sent home when Alex Haussmann smashed a single up the middle.
Power hitter Wyatt Featherston was also fooled by the Cardinals and suffered a rare strike out. Trevor Willson had the pitchers' numbers, though, and sent Haussmann home off yet another blistering triple. Jake Staley was the third Rams to strike out and end the inning.
Wyatt Featherston took the mound for the Rams, and like Staley hadn't pitched in nearly two weeks. The Ralston Valley batters had their eye on the ball, and brought home four runs in the inning.
The Rams failed to score in the second inning, with the Cardinals tagging out a runner out at third and two more strike outs. But the Ralston Valley Sluggers were just getting started, and they tagged on another five runs to bring the score to Cardinals 9, Rams 2.
In the third inning, Colton Faubion took the plate and showed he was a force to be reckoned with. He belted a single down the first base line. Jones drew a walk, as did Anderson, Haussmann, and Featherston. But the crafty pitcher, remembering the triple from Willson from his last at bat, regained his composure. He lured Willson to chase an outside pitch and pop the ball up.
But the Rams didn't give up. Jake Staley smacked a powerful single and sent three runners home. The inning ended when Joe Anderson and Garrett Storm both struck out.
Featherston settled into a nice pitching rhythm in the third inning and didn't allow any more runs.
The team came back strong in the top of the fourth with Benjamin McHugh drawing a walk. Ben Boyd struck out, and Faubion drew a walk, as did Jones. Arley Anderson was the next Ram to be fooled by the pitcher and became the second strike out victim of the inning.
With two outs, Alex Haussmann came to the plate with a steely determination to keep the team alive. He smacked his second single of the game, tying the game 9-to-9. That's when the gamesmanship from the Ralston Valley coaches came into play. Trying to avoid another run, they intentionally walked Featherston and hit Willson with a pitch. The inning ended when
Staley grounded out.
Playing the role as closer, Colton Faubion came to the mound to shut the Cardinals down. But their desire proved too much, and they squeaked in the winning run.
The burgeoning thunderstorm was an ominous sign as the game against Wheat Ridge began, and the top of the Rams order only scored one run.
Leadoff batter Austin Jones started the game on a good note by drawing a walk. Arley Anderson moved him to second base off a grounder that was fielded by the first baseman. Next, Alex Haussmann belted a single to the outfield and scored Jones. But Haussmann got stranded on third as the n
ext two batters struck out.The Farmers batters, on the other hand, pounded a rusty Jake Staley, who hadn't pitched in nearly 10 days. By the end of the inning, they had tallied five runs.
Staley started the second inning by drawing a walk, but the next three hitters were struck out in order. In the top of the second inning, the Farmers added another two runs to their total. It was the last runs they would score, but it proved to be too much for the Rams to overcome.
In the next two innings, Benjamin Boyd, Colton Faubion, and Wyatt Featherstorm all drew walks. Featherston scored off the bat of Trevor Willson, who posted by far the best hit of the game, a monster triple down the third base line.
In the fifth and final inning, the Boyd struck out, followed by Faubion who grounded out. Jones drew his second walk of the game, and was scored off the bat of Arley Anderson, who smacked only the third hit of the game. When Haussmann popped up a fly ball to shallow center field, the game ended.
"That was a tough loss," said the coaches at the end of the game. "We're a better team than how we played. We'll get 'em next time."
Final Score: Wheat Ridge 9, Rams 4
Two days later, the Rams faced a Ralston Valley team that was looking to even the score against the Rams. The Cardinals had lost their first game of the season to the Rams, and it was clear that the players were looking for a chance at redemption.
The game began with the Cardinals pitcher throwing a blistering pitch to strike out leadoff batter Austin Jones. Arley Anderson had better luck drawing a walk. He quickly stole second and third, and was sent home when Alex Haussmann smashed a single up the middle.
Power hitter Wyatt Featherston was also fooled by the Cardinals and suffered a rare strike out. Trevor Willson had the pitchers' numbers, though, and sent Haussmann home off yet another blistering triple. Jake Staley was the third Rams to strike out and end the inning.
Wyatt Featherston took the mound for the Rams, and like Staley hadn't pitched in nearly two weeks. The Ralston Valley batters had their eye on the ball, and brought home four runs in the inning.
The Rams failed to score in the second inning, with the Cardinals tagging out a runner out at third and two more strike outs. But the Ralston Valley Sluggers were just getting started, and they tagged on another five runs to bring the score to Cardinals 9, Rams 2.In the third inning, Colton Faubion took the plate and showed he was a force to be reckoned with. He belted a single down the first base line. Jones drew a walk, as did Anderson, Haussmann, and Featherston. But the crafty pitcher, remembering the triple from Willson from his last at bat, regained his composure. He lured Willson to chase an outside pitch and pop the ball up.
But the Rams didn't give up. Jake Staley smacked a powerful single and sent three runners home. The inning ended when Joe Anderson and Garrett Storm both struck out.
Featherston settled into a nice pitching rhythm in the third inning and didn't allow any more runs.
The team came back strong in the top of the fourth with Benjamin McHugh drawing a walk. Ben Boyd struck out, and Faubion drew a walk, as did Jones. Arley Anderson was the next Ram to be fooled by the pitcher and became the second strike out victim of the inning.
With two outs, Alex Haussmann came to the plate with a steely determination to keep the team alive. He smacked his second single of the game, tying the game 9-to-9. That's when the gamesmanship from the Ralston Valley coaches came into play. Trying to avoid another run, they intentionally walked Featherston and hit Willson with a pitch. The inning ended when
Staley grounded out.
Playing the role as closer, Colton Faubion came to the mound to shut the Cardinals down. But their desire proved too much, and they squeaked in the winning run.
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