PBR Colorado Game of the Day: Regis Defeats Mullen 13-1
April 16, 2019
If there are any doubts about Regis Jesuit, forget them.
And especially this week, as the Raiders have a demanding stretch of their schedule that began on Monday with a trip across the metropolitan area to visit their longtime parochial-school rival.
The first part of the week went well as the Raiders dispatched of host Mullen 13-1 at Bill Swift Field in Class 5A non-league. They moved to 11-1 on the season after thumping the Mustangs, who entered 8-3.
It won’t get any easier as Regis Jesuit will be at Ponderosa in the powerful Continental League on Tuesday, will visit defending 5A state champion and everybody’s No. 1, Mountain Vista, on Wednesday, then host perennial power Cherry Creek on Thursday.
However, concerning Monday and heading into a tough stretch, Raiders head coach Matt Darr said “we’re doing all three phases well. We’re swinging it well, our pitching has been outstanding, then our fielding has been good.”
There are no arguments from the Mustangs. Regis Jesuit pounded out 16 hits, scored in every inning and cracked three home runs, two of them no-doubters.
Raiders junior catcher Owen Best was one of the stars, even on a team with more than a half-dozen signees and commitments, going 3-for-3 from the No. 6 spot in the order with a homer, double, single, three runs batted in and a walk.
“I’m just going up there trying to find my fastball, just putting a barrel on the ball and driving it to all fields,” Best said.
Mac Padilla and Mark Perchiazzi also had three hits apiece. Caden Wagner and Ethan O’Donnell also homered.
On the mound, 6-foot-5 sophomore right-hander Alec Willis went six innings and allowed only one hit, a swinging bunt to the second batter of the game. He walked none and struck out seven in four innings.
As for fielding, the Raiders mishandled a pick-off attempt at second base for a double error, but flashing leather hasn’t been a problem.
It was a good matchup to open the week, Darr said, as “we haven’t played Mullen in a while.”
The previous meeting was on March 31, 2010. The Raiders won 10-8.
So now the Raiders move on in a challenging week with a chance to grab command of big schools into the stretch run of the regular season.
“We’re all real excited,” Best said. “We’ve got a good vibe going on with the team and, hopefully, we can win some ball games.”
REGIS JESUIT 13, MULLEN 1, 5 inn.
Regis Jesuit 223 14 -- 13 16 2
Mullen 100 00 -- 1 1 0
Regis Jesuit – Padilla 2b 4-1-3-1, Stoughton ph 1-0-0-0, Macias cf 4-2-1-0, Wagner lf 4-1-2-4, O’Donnell dh 3-3-2-2, Perchiazzi 3b 3-2-3-1, Best c 3-1-3-4. Cushenbery cr 0-1-0-0, Parsons rf 4-0-1-0, Doubet lf 3-0-0-0, Thompsen c 2-2-1-1, Willis p 0-0-0-0, Hamilton p 0-0-0-0. Totals 31-13-16-13.
Mullen – Loya 2b-lf 2-0-0-0, Elges p-2b 2-0-1-0, Naha cr 0-0-0-0, Vitry ss 2-0-0-0, Malloy 1b 1-0-0-0, Moore 3b 2-0-0-0, Nolte c 1-0-0-0, Stanford cf 2-0-0-0, Brickley rf 2-0-0-0, J. Tafoya dh 2-0-0-0, Brady lf 0-0-0-0, M. Tafoya p 0-0-0-0, Reynolds p 0-0-0-0. Totals 16-1-1-0.
E – Best, Macias. SB – Perchiazzi.
2b – Wagner, Perchiazzi, Best. HR – O’Donnell, one on in 1st; Best, one on in 3rd; Wagner, one in in 5th
Batteries – Willis, Hamilton (5) and Best; Elges, M. Tafoya (3), Reynolds (5) and Nolte. HBP – Malloy (by Hamilton). WP – M. Tafoya 3. PB – Nolte 3. T – 1:46.