LAKEWOOD – In the bottom of the second inning Saturday, Cael Knobbe was Cherry Creek’s only hope.
The Bruins had taken a 3-0 lead in the top of the frame with station-to-station baseball, and RBI single from Tyce Smith and a two-run single from Owen Else. But by the bottom half, Grandview had scored its first run via a bases-loaded walk, the third in four batters.
Enter Knobbe with one out and the bases loaded, ready to save the day. The Cherry Creek righty coaxed a medium-distance flyout to right field — well within range for Smith to keep the runner on third — then struck out the next batter to cut short the rally by the top-seeded Wolves. He posted zeroes on the scoreboard the rest of the way as the No. 2 Bruins won 7-1. It was a big outing for the CSU-Pueblo-bound senior who only logged 15 1/3 innings during the regular season.
“He’s the silent assassin,” Cherry Creek coach Joe White said. “You can tell his demeanor and how calm he is when he got out there with the bases loaded. His pulse never got above wherever the danger pulse is. He’s got that ice water in his veins and, to be honest, I don’t know that anybody thought he’d close it out like that. Especially coming in bases loaded because those were some high intensity pitches. He cruised and I’m so proud of that kid. What a moment for him.”
He was backed by several big defensive plays, like Walker Rudden’s diving snag on a grounder to second, but Knobbe held Grandview to one hit across his time on the mound. His outing even spanned a 15-minute gap when the home plate umpire couldn’t continue after taking a foul ball off the mask earlier in the game. During that break, the Bruins stayed up by playing duck, duck, goose in front of their dugout. Knobbe struck out the first batter he faced on the other side of the break and used just five pitches to secure the next two outs.
Knobbe finished with three strikeouts and issued just two walks across 5 2/3 innings pitched.
“I just believe in myself and I stay calm the whole time,” Knobbe said. “I know if I trust my guys and trust my stuff, it’ll be OK.”
On the offensive end, the Bruins built steadily on their second-inning surge. They added two more runs in the third after Connor Larkin went first to third on a wild pick-off attempt, then came home on a ground-rule double from Mason Scott. After a walk, Scott was forced out at third on a jabbed bunt attempt, then a fielder’s choice put runners on the corners.
Smith, from first base, attempt to bring in another run on a goofy delayed steal where he was slowly walked back to the bag. The move ultimately paid off, however, as the pitcher attempted to pick him off on the next play, and the ball sailed past the bag to give the Bruins a 5-1 advantage. A two-out single from Smith in the fifth stretched it to 7-1.
The victory avenges Creek’s only loss to an in-state opponent this season: a 3-2 defeat by Grandview during the first game of a weekend series.
In the consolation bracket, No. 6 Regis Jesuit survived and will advance to next weekend, using two big rallies to defeat No. 8 Castle View 9-7. The Raiders plated five runs in the bottom of the third and four runs in the bottom of the sixth to secure the victory. Luke Reasbeck doubled and drove in three runs for Regis, while Gavin Cronin had a triple and a sacrifice fly.
Castle View defeated Fossil Ridge 13-8 to reach the game against Regis Jesuit, led by Tommy Feldhake, who finished a single short of the cycle.
Over at All City Field, No. 5 Broomfield advanced with a 9-6 victory over No. 3 Arvada West. The Eagles trailed 5-2 headed into the sixth inning but plated seven runs across the final two frames to secure the win. Senior Brendan Fritch went deep to lead Broomfield.
Arvada West defeated Rocky Mountain 5-3 to reach the second game and built their lead across the middle innings. Tate Deal had a homer and double to back the Wildcats and pitcher Brayden Reiner, who went six innings and struck out eight batters.
All contests move to All Star Park on Friday, starting with Regis Jesuit and Broomfield at 10 a.m. The winner will move on to face Grandview, with the survivor needing two wins over Cherry Creek on Saturday.
