Legend takes 12-2 win over Ralston Valley

BY JIM BENTON SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

Legend’s baseball team played its third game in three days against Ralston Valley on March 30.

With games bunched together, it can put stress on a high school pitching sta because of pitch limitation rules.

However, Legend got a solid pitching performance from Gavin Hasche and combined that with a 10-hit attack over ve innings to notch a 12-2 win over the Mustangs in a game that ended after ve innings because of the mercy rule.

e win improved Legend’s record to 5-2 and came after the Titans defeated Lakewood 14-3 on March 28 and an 11-7 setback to Cherry Creek on March 29.

“We knew we had three games in a row so we kind of spaced our pitching a little bit,” said Legend coach Scott Boyd. “Our starters for three games threw very well. We hit the baseball against Ralston Valley. We have tough games coming up against Valor and Erie and our goal is to win every week. With this group of kids, we should be able to do that.”

Hasche, a senior who has committed to Boston College, allowed two runs, gave up ve hits and struck out six batters in his ve-inning outing.

“I felt good,” said Hasche. “I pitched pretty good but I made some mistakes. I was just locating my fastball and my slider was moving.”

Senior shortstop Nathan Hopkins, who made two dazzling elding plays early in the game, paced the Titans o ense by going 3-for-3 with a solo home run and two runs batted in. He scored three runs.

“I like to be both a defensive player and a hitter, and this game I showed up to be both and I liked it,” said Hopkins. “Today the wind was in my favor on the home run and I caught it on the barrel of the bat and the wind pushed it out for me.

“We have to impress some people,” continued Hopkins. “People are going to sleep on us and we’re going to catch them o guard. We have a lot of pitchers that can do good things and if they keep performing at the rate they are doing right now, we’re going to have a good season. It’s going to be fun to watch.”

Jackson Phillips and Connor Boyd also gured in on the Legend o ensive heroics against Ralston Valley. Phillips was 2-for2 with two RBI and Boyd went 2-for-3 with a pair of runs batted in.