Golden baseball making its 4th consecutive trip to Class 4A state tournament

GOLDEN — The beat goes on for Golden baseball.

The Demons won their fourth straight Class 4A regional title Saturday to send Golden to its fourth consecutive 4A state tournament in Colorado Springs. Golden defeated Longmont and Pueblo South in the 4A Region 4 tournament at Golden High School to advance yet again to the state tournament.

“They are all special,” Golden coach Jackie McBroom said of the Demons heading back to state. “They all mean a lot. They all have different memories, but I’m excited every single year we get to go back to the state tournament. You can never take it for granted.”

Golden senior Andrew Romero especially won’t be taking playing in the double-elimination state tournament for granted.

As a sophomore, Romero was a pinch-runner in the top of the seventh inning of the 4A state championship game against Severance. Romero was tagged out at the plate on the final play as the Silver Knights won 1-0 to claim the state title.

Since that game, Romero has torn his ACL in his right knee twice. He missed is entire junior season after surgery, but then torn his ACL again at the start of the football season his senior year. He elected not to have surgery right away with the hope he could play baseball this spring with a brace.

Not playing baseball for a second straight year wasn’t an option for Romero.

“It was a frustration, but you just have to overcome it,” Romero said of his injury history. “I thank God every day that I can continue to play this sport and being here with my guys.”

Despite not being able to play on the field his junior year, Romero was still a major part of the Demons’ team that advance to the Final 4 of the 4A state tournament last season.

“I’m happy for him,” McBroom said of Romero. “For a guy last year who was at every game, every practice and wanted to be on the field. He was upbeat and the biggest cheerleader in the dugout. The fact that he got to experience this year playing all the time, winning a league championship and going to the state tournament again. I would be disappointed if he didn’t get to experience that.”

Romero was a catalyst for Golden’s offense in the regional title game against Pueblo South on Saturday. The Demons’ nine-hole hitter walked in the bottom of the second inning in a 2-2 game. A throwing error by The Colts’ catcher allowed Romero to race to third base. He scored the go-ahead run tagging up on a fly ball to center field by sophomore Dylan Paulson.

“He has been through so much,” Golden senior Sawyer Brinkman said of Romero. “Everyone has had their ups and down, their rough patches. He has defintely had the worst out of all of us. To see him fight through it and come out on top. He had one of his best games, in my opinion, of his life today is awesome to see.”

Romero started the Demons’ 7-run bottom of the fifth inning that put the game away. He doubled to lead off the inning and scored on an RBI single by senior Luca Casali. Romero came up again in the inning and had a 2-run single to cap off the big inning.

“It felt great,” Romero said of his double and 2-run single, both fifth inning. “Just playing the game hard and playing the game the way it is supposed to be played. Overall just having fun with it. It’s great to be out here.”

With a 10-2 lead heading to the sixth inning, McBroom turned to his ace to finish off the game. Brinkman had only thrown 40 pitches in three innings pitched in Golden’s 15-0 victory over Longmont earlier in the day.

Brinkman took the mound after senior lefty Taden Svendsen had settled in after giving up a 2-run first inning.

“There was a little bit of nerves at first,” Brinkman said of the regional title game against Pueblo South. “The first inning was a little rough, but as first as we put two runs to even it up I had complete faith in my guys. I knew Taden would go out there and dominate.”

Svendsen held the Colts scoreless in his final four innings. Brinkman reeled off five straight strikeouts in his two innings pitched in the regional title game. The only ball Pueblo South was able to put in play ended the game with senior Jaydon Stroup fielding the ball at shortstop and firing it over to Casali for the final out.

“It’s an opportunity again,” McBroom said. “We’ll see what we do with it.”

The 4A state tournament will be played in Colorado Springs at two sites — Air Force Academy and University of Colorado-Colorado Springs — starting on Friday, May 16.

Golden’s lone baseball state championship came over 20 year ago. The Demons won the 4A title in 2003 defeating Mountain View twice on a Saturday at All-City Field in Denver.