The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
There’s a giant killer in our midst
by Than Acuff
As we get further along in the post season, games are getting tighter and the showdown between Kochevar’s and the Aces on Thursday, July 30 was just that. Not only that but the Eldo edged out a 13-12 win over Elevate at another field that same evening sending the second seeded Elevate team packing for the winter. In addition, buckle up softball fans, we have a giant killer in our midst in the Tuesday/Thursday playoffs.
You may recall, or may not, but either way a couple of weeks ago I pleaded for a Talk of the Town title. I never said they wouldn’t or couldn’t win it. I merely said it might not come this year. Since then, the Talk has gone on a tirade in the post season sending the second and third seeded teams to the loser’s bracket with back-to-back wins and are one game away from reaching the finals. They just have to take down the top-seeded Kochevar’s team in the semifinals or, if they lose to Kochevar’s in the semifinals, head to the loser’s bracket to battle their way back up for a shot at the title.
Either way, by the time you’re reading this, one of those two things will have happened since this is a weekly paper and lots will have happened between my writing this and you reading this.
Regardless, Kochevar’s did get a scare last Thursday against the Aces. While they seemed in relative control for a majority of the game, they eased off the throttle, and the Aces took the opportunity late in the game to make them sweat.
The story for the Aces through much of the first several innings was a story of missed opportunities. They opened the top of the first putting two runners on with only one out only to be held scoreless.
Conversely, Kochevar’s took advantage of their chances early as hits from Andrew Arnold, Ashley Huse and Heather Theiss provided John Duffy and John Dreher the opportunity to get their names in the paper and they seized said opportunity as Duffy knocked a sac fly RBI and Dreher an RBI single for a 2-0 Kochevar’s lead.
The Aces picked up where they left off the previous inning as hits from Leslie Irwin and Dan Brown set up Sean Irwin for an RBI single to shallow left field. Kristi Miller then singled to load the bases with one out, but the Kochevar’s defense came through again to hold the Aces to one run and five left on base (LOB).
Kochevar’s spent the next two innings building a comfortable lead, but not a dominating one. Base hits from Kristin Tyson and Mark Krause put two on and Arnold and Huse drove those two home. Duffy then pushed Huse home with a double and Kochevar’s was sitting on a 5-1 lead.
Kochevar’s then tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the third inning as Dreher led off with a solo Inside the Park Home Run (ITPHR) and Tyson doubled. Krause then knocked a base hit to score Tyson and just kept running around the bases to eventually get tagged out at third.
You may ask Rick, why would your son just keep running to get tagged for the third out killing what appeared to be a rally. Well, Kochevar’s was short a woman for the game, so they had to take an automatic out the next batter anyway. There’s a fine line between clever and stupid and this erred toward clever.
Down 7-1, the Aces started with the basics to keep the game close, defense. After holding Kochevar’s to just two runs over two innings, it was time for the Aces to start hitting. And they did, only it took a while.
Derek Yeadon lit a small fire with a big hustle single to open the fifth inning and Jess Laramie followed with a line drive up the middle, but Krause flagged it down and tossed to first for a double play. Down but not out, Bryce W. Miller followed with a single and scored when Tom Harken doubled and then Tucker Brown sent Harken home with a triple to pull the Aces within four of Kochevar’s.
Kochevar’s built a little breathing room in the bottom of the fifth when Robin Yost and Zane Wrisley each knocked base hits and scored on a double by Krause, but the Aces defense clamped down once again to keep Kochevar’s within striking distance and finally found their bats in the top of the seventh inning.
It started innocently enough as Yeadon led off with a double and Laramie followed with a single. Miller then flared an RBI single to right field and Harken smacked an RBI double to left to put two on with no outs and Tucker stepping to the plate. Tucker then proceeded to golf a three-run home run over the centerfield fence and all of a sudden, the Aces were down 9-8 with no outs in the top of the seventh inning.
Unfortunately for the Aces, all of a sudden it was over as Krause fanned the next hitter and when Dan knocked a ground ball up the middle, Arnold scooped it up, tapped second base and fired to first for the game-ending double play sealing the 9-8 win for Kochevar’s.
