The trip to Dave & Busters restaurant served as an impromptu therapy session.
The
Broomfield baseball team had just lost its first game of the Class 4A state tournament Saturday morning at All City Field, a 3-2 nail-biter to
Air Academy (US Air Force Academy), which meant the Eagles had to play the Kadets again later in the day.
"It was definitely an interesting situation," Broomfield junior right-hander
Brandon Bailey said. "We told ourselves we should be happy. Not too many teams get two chances at a state championship."
The Eagles had that opportunity because they had entered as the lone unbeaten team in the double-elimination tourney. The afternoon game amounted to a straight-up title game, and Broomfield didn't disappoint. With their reprieve, the Garren Estes-coached Eagles walloped Air Academy 12-4 behind a complete game from Bailey to clinch their first state crown since 2006.
"When we went to Dave & Busters, coach told us just to relax," Broomfield catcher
Ben Martinez said. "We have our No. 1 on the bump, they have their No. 3 on the bump. Just sit back on the ball and drive it away."
Broomfield (22-5) had done a poor job sitting back in the early game, with Air Academy left-hander
Kevin Megyeri limiting the Eagles to four hits in a complete-game performance. In the second game, against a bevy of Air Academy arms (the Kadets threw whoever they could with their aces burned), Broomfield unleashed a furious attack.
The Eagles ripped 12 extra-base hits among their 14 overall, including 11 doubles and a seventh-inning home run by Martinez. The Nos. 3-through-9 hitters all contributed at least one double, with third-place hitter
Jackson Lockwood contributing three.
"When we're on we're really good," Lockwood said.
Lockwood, a co-ace with Bailey, pitched the opener and struck out 10 in a complete-game loss. He yielded all three runs in the second, and that was enough for the Kadets (23-4) to hang on.
Bailey (10-0) had much more wiggle room. He battled to go the distance despite earning a save in Friday's win against Canon City. Bailey's grandfather, Keith, had won a state title with Rye in 1961.
"Coming in undefeated with Jackson and Brandon, we were in a very good position," Estes said. "That all goes back to
Albert Garcia and what he did (Friday)."
Garcia pitched into the fifth in the win against Canon City, allowing the Eagles to keep their co-aces mostly fresh for Saturday.
Broomfield blew it open in the third, when
Hayden Estes led off with a double off the glove of Air Academy third baseman
Kevin Kimbrow, and the Eagles later added four consecutive two-baggers to stretch their early lead to 6-0. Garren Estes had encouraged the aggressiveness.
"Right before the inning, he said we needed to put the pressure on them," Hayden Estes said. "He just motivated the team before the inning and that led to five runs."
Martinez and shortstop
Angelo Perez each finished 2-for-4 with three RBI, with Martinez adding a double to his round-tripper and Perez notching two doubles. The Eagles scored runs against four of the six pitchers deployed by the Kadets.
Air Academy coach Bernie Moncallo was attempting to win his second title in four seasons. Moncallo won one with fellow Colorado Springs Metro League school Cheyenne Mountain in 2009. For the Kadets, Kimbrow went 2-for-2 with an RBI and left fielder
Luke Yeager finished 2-for-4 with an RBI.
