Craig Daily Press

Photo by John Vandelinder

Junior Seth Lanier tosses a curve ball Saturday against Longmont, during the opening round of the District 5 tournament. Lanier entered postseason play with a 5-1 record, picking up a no-decision versus the Trojans.

A six-week season for the Moffat County High School baseball team came down to a one-day district tourney birth.

The Bulldogs captured a share of their third-straight Western Slope League title last week and the next step for the team was the state playoffs, which started with a win and ended with a loss Saturday in Arvada.

‘Going to the ship’

The bus ride to Arvada — home of Ralston Valley — was full of excitement and anticipation, as a senior-laden team was making possibly its last trip to the high school baseball state playoffs.

Chants of “going to the ship” echoed throughout what the team calls “the Bulldog short bus,” a phrase used in the movie “Hardball” about an underdog baseball team that makes it to the championship game.

Would the Bulldogs be that team?

Entering the District 5 bracket in the state tournament, MCHS was the No. 19 seed. They were scheduled to face No. 14 Longmont, and if victorious, a probable match up with No. 3 seed — and district host — Ralston Valley.

“We are the underdog in this thing,” MCHS coach Tim Hafey said while driving the “short bus.”

“We have to technically pull out two upsets to keep playing.”

Sounds of laughter were intermittingly broken up by the sounds of “Yahtzee” coming from Russell Waugh in the back.

Game 1 — MCHS vs. Longmont

Junior Seth Lanier, a Hayden resident, started Game 1 for the Bulldogs and gave up three runs through the game’s first five innings.

Moffat County stranded five base runners in scoring position and found themselves trailing, 3-0.

Senior Chris Winder lined a first-pitch homerun in the top of the fifth, but another runner stranded in scoring position left the Bulldogs’ deficit at one.

A perfectly executed hit-and-run by the Trojans catapulted a four-run fifth in which the Bulldogs saw themselves fall behind by five runs, 7-2, heading into the top of the sixth.

Winder could be heard in the dugout yelling, “We can beat this team. Let’s go.”

The senior started the rally he called for.

Winder struck with the bases loaded, plating two runs with a single, and Jordan Williams hit an RBI single forcing Trojan’s coach Tom Fobes into a pitching change.

The move didn’t pay off.

Bulldog freshman Dylon Camilletti was hit by a pitch — earning an RBI — as MCHS pulled within two, 7-5. A Longmont error and a two-run double by senior Bulldog Josh Satterwhite, put MCHS on top, 8-7.

Waugh singled in two more runs while Winder picked up his third RBI of the inning on a bases-loaded walk.

When the dust had settled, MCHS had scored nine runs to take an 11-7 lead.

“We fought hard,” Lanier said. “We weren’t going to give in. This is it for us.”

Winder was called in to pitch and close out the ballgame — and like he did at the plate — he delivered on the mound.

Winder recorded five of the last six outs via strikeout, propelling Moffat County into the District 5 championship game with an 11-9 win to face host Ralston Valley. Ralston Valley was a 31-0 winner against Denver South in the Saturday morning game.

“We couldn’t throw or catch in that sixth inning,” Trojans coach Fobes said. “I saw that mess unfold right before my eyes, and I knew that was the ballgame.”

The first upset was complete.

Game 2 — MCHS vs. Ralston Valley

Riding the momentum of a comeback victory, the Bulldogs were anxious to get a crack at No. 3 seed Ralston Valley and the Mustangs’ highly touted pitcher, 6-foot-10 inch right-hander Matt Skipper — a University of San Diego State signee.

“We saved our ace for Game 2,” Ralston Valley coach Shane Freehling said before the game. “We understand nothing comes easy. We are fighting for a chance to not turn our uniforms in yet. We expect a very good game with Moffat County.”

Having used his two aces in Game 1, Hafey called on junior Erick Leonard to start.

“I feel confident and powerful,” Leonard said. “They may be a good team, but they haven’t met a team like us.”

Winder led off the game with a single, stole second base and scored on a wild throw by Mustangs catcher Matt Jones.

The Bulldogs wouldn’t score again.

Leonard lasted 1/3 of an inning, giving up two runs, prompting Hafey to call on Winder — a University of Northern Colorado signee — to match Skipper on the mound.

The Mustangs — a fastball hitting team according to Freehling — jumped on Winder.

Sean Reeves and Travis Hayes hit two-run homeruns in the second, leading the Mustangs to an 8-1 lead.

Hafey decided to change the tempo on the mound, calling on junior left-hander Casey McClanahan to try to stop the Ralston Valley offense.

The move paid off, as McClanahan’s mixture of off-speed pitches kept the Mustangs off balance.

The problem for Moffat County was Skipper, who struck out nine Bulldog batters, while allowing three hits, shutting down the MCHS offense.

“This is it, our last go-around,” Skipper said. “We have to finish strong, and that’s what we did.”

Waugh went 2-for-3 against Skipper, but the rest of the team was held hitless (besides Winder’s lead-off single) as the Mustangs dropped three runs on the Bulldogs in the fourth and fifth innings, effectively ending MCHS’ season with the 10-run mercy rule, 11-1.

“They are a very good hitting ball-club,” Hafey said. “They have some awesome talent. That pitcher out there just dominated us.”

Ralston Valley won its fourth straight district championship, while Moffat County was bounced from district play for the fourth consecutive year.

The long road home

The bus was dark and eerily quiet.

The Red Hot Chili Peppers played throughout the blown speakers.

Shadowy figures were seen bumping fists as players thanked each other for a great ride.

“I wish I could change how I played,” senior Anthony Flores said. “I wish we won that game. But we had a good season. I have no complaints.”

After a while, Hafey and the team began to laugh again. Jokes flew around the “short bus” and all seemed well despite the season-ending defeat.

Then from out of the dark, you heard Waugh.

“Yahtzee.”