The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Catch them at home Wednesday, June 9
With a big effort from Ryan Costello on the mound and big bats from the offense, the Crested Butte Blue Jackets opened the 2010 Babe Ruth baseball season with a road win in Gunnison on Friday, May 28.
Costello threw 14 strikeouts in five innings on the mound and the Blue Jackets hitters connected for 13 base hits handing Gunnison a 13-9 loss. Costello led the charge from the plate as well going three-for-four, including a three-run home run. Nolan Blunck was perfect at the plate hitting three-for-three on the evening.
“Pretty much everyone on the team was one for something,” says coach Dave McGuire.
While the Blue Jackets defense was suspect throughout the game, a key play in the bottom of the first inning helped them out of a jam early.
Catcher Peter Bright gunned down a runner at second base to deny the steal attempt and end the inning.
“That shut down the clean up hitter and got us the third out,” says McGuire.
The Blue Jackets followed that with a three run inning. Blunck led off with a single, Ian Kelly walked and Liam Mortell singled to load the bases.
Tylor Byers poked a grounder that slipped through the infield and past the outfielder resulting in a three run error-assisted double.
While Costello continued to fan hitter after hitter, the Blue Jackets added two more runs on doubles from Blunck and Sam Reaman and the Blue Jackets were sitting on a 5-0 lead heading into the bottom of the fourth inning.
“That was the best thing they could have done,” says McGuire. “Come out and get some runs to get some confidence.”
Gunnison mounted a comeback in the bottom of the fourth rattling off three runs on a couple defensive miscues by the Blue Jackets but Crested Butte responded with a huge offensive assault in the top of the fifth inning.
Singles from Bright and Troy Pike put two runners on with no outs and Costello stepping to the plate. Costello delivered, crushing a three-run dinger over the left field fence.
The Blue Jackets capitalized on some fielding errors to add three more runs, building an 11-3 lead going into the bottom of the fifth inning.
Blunck and Mortell drove in two more runs in the top of the sixth inning and the Blue Jackets closed down one more comeback attempt by Gunnison in the bottom of the sixth inning to seal the 13-9 win.
“It was a fun, confidence-building win,” says McGuire.
The Blue Jackets will host Gunnison at the new Tommy V Field on Wednesday, June 9 at 6 p.m. The Blue Jackets will stay at home for a double header against Cedaredge and the official opening of Tommy V Field on Saturday, June 12.
