But enough about basketball.
While Gausman thrived at his secondary sport, springtime is here and it’s time to get serious. That means stepping onto the mound ready to blow away the competition with the type of stuff that can make his output as a junior (7-2 record, 2.33 ERA) look like an off year.
Yes, Gausman is that good. He is routinely clocked in the 90-91 mph range and can hit the mid-90s when really humming. Oh, and if you need more convincing that the senior right-hander is the real deal, consider that he has already signed with the defending NCAA champions, Louisiana State.
"It’s a huge relief, actually," Gausman said of signing before his senior season began. "The recruiting process was a blast, but it really could kind of mess with your head. You like this coach but you don’t like their program or you don’t like the way that they pitch, that type of thing."
In the end, signing with Tigers boiled down to simple concepts.
"For LSU, it really came down to that I wanted to play at a place that’s rich in baseball tradition, one that you know they get a lot of support for," Gausman said. "I also wanted a place that was a lot different than Colorado. I wanted a place where I could throw it to first or third and be sweating already."
Gausman and Grandview open Friday at ThunderRidge and kick off Class 5A Centennial League play against Eaglecrest on April 8.
Opposing Gonzaleses
Rocky Mountain pitcher Marco Gonzales has always thrived on the support of his father, Frank, an 11-year minor-leaguer. That support might wane for a brief moment on May 4, albeit in a healthy way.
Frank Gonzales has taken over the program at Fort Collins, and May 4 is the day his squad will take on Marco’s Lobos. Marco, of course, is one of the state’s finest players, having pitched in three Rocky Mountain title-clinching wins and is a strong candidate for a fourth before heading to Gonzaga next season.
"It won’t be like me against him or anything like that," Marco Gonzales said. "Like myself, my dad is passionate about baseball. It’s his true love, so for him to get a program to truly call his own is awesome for him."
Striving for perfection
Two teams in the state went unbeaten last season: 3A champion Eaton (25-0) and 1A title winner Granada (13-0).
So far, so good for Eaton. The Reds began the season with a 7-2 win Saturday against a quality Kent Denver squad, knocking out Sun Devils ace Gus Lang in the fifth. Granada opens March 23 with a doubleheader against Holly.
Numbers game: 7 – RBI for Wheat Ridge’s Matt Zarlengo on Saturday in the Farmers’ 14-4 win against Valor Christian, including two home runs. Wheat Ridge, among the favorites in 4A, got on to the winning side of the ledger after dropping its opener 2-1 to 5A Douglas County.
