By, Jordan Cantalamessa
Regional Scout

Rock Canyon vs Chatfield
5a State tournament

Game Recap

Chatfield entered yesterdays matchup against the Rock Canyon Jaguars as the only unbeaten team in the tournament.  Win or lose they have cemented their spot to play in the title game, so the pressure rested upon a hungry and very talented Rock Canyon team. 

Senior right handed pitcher and Cal Lutheran commit Bryce Dietz who had a 10-0 record going into the game would  start for the Jaguars and sits the Chargers down in order in the 1st collecting his 1^st of 5 punch outs on the day. 

Rock Canyon would get on the board first in the bottom of 1 after leadoff walk by senior SS and Xavier commit Chris Givin.  Senior 2b and Army commit Josh White would pick up an RBI scoring Givin from third on a groundball to SS Kyle Winkler, score 1-0.

Dietz was hot early blanking the Chargers threw 3 innings including 3 of his 5 strikeouts on the day.  Rock Canyon would go on to add 3 more runs in the bottom of 3 after back to back singles by junior 1B Ben Sneider and sophomore catcher Logan O’Neill.  Chatfield junior pitcher, Tanner Johnson would then walk the bases loaded.  Junior Daryl Myers would notch an RBI on a groundball to 2b giving Rock Canyon a 2-0 lead.  2B Josh White would smoke a 1 out double that would plate 2 more runs but was thrown out a 3B trying to pick up and extra base.  Rock Canyon goes on top 4-0.

Chatfield clawed back in the top of the 4^th with a leadoff walk by senior RF Jake Carstensen, followed by a RBI double by senior SS and Miami of Ohio commit Kyle Winkler.  Junior DH Mike Lucero would reach safely on a fielder’s choice scoring Winkler.  Senior Camden Lawhead was hit by a pitch and sophomore Jack Winkler would notch a single with the Chargers scoring their 3^rd run in the inning bringing the game within 1 run, 4-3. 

Bottom of 4, Rock Canyon would add another run after senior RF Quinn O’Neill reached base after being hit by a pitch and Cole Howard picking up a single, an overthrow would score O’Neill from 2B giving the Jaguars a 5-3 lead.

Top of the 5^th, Chatfield surges back adding 3 more runs taking advantage of a couple costly errors by Rock Canyon.  Mike Lucero would pick up an RBI single putting the Chargers on top for the first time in the game, 6-5.

Fighting to stay alive, Rock Canyon showed resolve in the bottom of the 5^th after 2 walks, a fielder’s choice and a sac fly to RF by sophomore 3B Matt Givin.  Scored all square at 6-6.

Both teams are blanked in the 6^th inning bringing the game down to the wire in the 7^th.  After the Chargers failed to plate any runs in the top of 7, Rock Canyon went to bat in the bottom of 7 getting a leadoff single by Quinn O’Neill.  Senior Chris Givin would move O’Neill to 2B on a sac fly, followed by a single by Daryl Myers, runners on 1^st and 3^rd.   Chatfield would intentionally walk Josh White to load the bases, bringing to the plate 3B Matt Givin.  Givin would prove to be the hero with a game winning sac fly as Rock Canyon edges the Chatfield Chargers 7-6.  Rock Canyon earns the right to battle it out in the 5A semi-final game against the Mountain Vista Golden Eagles, as Chatfield awaits to the play the winner in the State Championship.

Related Material:

• CO 2A Final Four preview5.21.15
  Resurrection Christian returns to defend its title... >>

• CO 3A Final Four Preview5.22.15

• CO 4A Final Four Preview5.26.15
  Green Mountain looks to defend title against stiff competition... >>

• CO 5A Final Four Preview5.22.15
  5A is anyone's for the taking ... >>