Ponderosa one win from repeat 4A title
Dylan Carey had already clobbered two home runs against Thomas Jefferson in the regional title game when he stepped to the plate again, and someone from the Ponderosa dugout shouted what the Spartans were no doubt thinking.
“Not this guy!!”
Carey proceeded to hit another blast to cement the mercy-rule victory, securing the shortstop’s first career three-homer game and sending defending champion Ponderosa back into the Class 4A state tournament. There, the Mustangs continued to roll, winning three games to sit in the driver’s seat heading into the final weekend.
“Winning state last year was something we’d never done before, but winning state two years in a row would be something crazy special that would live on forever in Ponderosa baseball,” said Carey, a Nebraska commit. “And it will show 5A we were meant to be there. We’re just as good as those teams.”
Ponderosa will move back up to Class 5A next year, but first, the
Mustangs (21-7) are focused on putting the finishing touches on a repeat. And it’s not just Carey’s bat leading the way. Ponderosa’s averaged 14 runs over five playoff games, including a 19-0 drubbing of Erie last Saturday to advance to the title game.
Carey is tied for the state lead with 13 home runs on the season, but senior catcher Derek Lukes (five homers, Point Loma commit) and senior designated hitter Parker Dennis (four homers, Concordia commit) are also power bats in a lineup that’s hit 35 dingers with a .365 team average.
“Everyone’s barreling baseballs all season, and no one is trying to do too much,” Carey said. “If you get out, the next guy will get a hit. We’ve been living off each other’s success.”
Pitching-wise, the Mustangs are led by junior right-hander Gabe Jacobs and senior right-hander Tyler Smith, while senior right-hander Tyler Slattery has been clutch in middle relief and Carey throws gas as the closer.
The Mustangs play Friday at noon at Uchealth Park against D’evelyn, and then again on Saturday at 11 a.m. with a chance to clinch. Whoever emerges among D’evelyn, Erie and Cheyenne Mountain from the loser’s bracket to play Ponderosa on the final day will have to beat the Mustangs twice if Ponderosa beats D’evelyn. Ponderosa topped D’evelyn 12-2 on April 1, and defeated the other two teams last weekend.
“Those three other teams are very capable of winning two games against us,” Ponderosa coach Bob Maloney said. “They get to reset their pitching staff, so we’ve got to stay focused. Even so, when our guys are dialed in, they’re tough to beat.”