Rams win second title

The Green Mountain team successfully defended its Class 4A baseball title as they accepted their second championship trophy in a row, besting Lewis Palmer 4-0 in the May 27 playoff finals.

“After coming back from a first round loss to win the title last year, we had to step up and prove we are the best 4A team in the state like we did today,” Rams Coach Brad Madden said after the title game “But it wasn’t easy as we won four tournament games by one run. I told the guys there was nothing in the rule book saying we always had to win by one run. Today we swung the bats better. Once we got the lead the feeling was in the dugout was lets keep this going and win this title.”

The Rams took the lead in the first inning when Reid Effrein scored Green Mountain’s first run on an RBI double by Talon Schaller.

The team added to the lead in the third inning. Wyatt Featherstone singled and scored on an RBI double by Cole Shetterly. Schaller then tripled to score Shetterly to make the score 3-0.

Schaller had three hits for the Rams that included a double and a triple and drove in two of his team’s runs

Green Mountain scored its final run of the game in the fourth inning. Chase Upton doubled and scored on a fielder’s choice.

Both teams played errorless defense. One difference was Green Mountain got eight timely hits while Rams pitcher Josh Ramirez only gave up four hits and two of them came in the first inning. The coach said he was a little shaky in the first inning when the Ranges got two men on base. But, from then on, he was in control on the mound.

Ramirez struck out five, gave up one walk and 10 of the 21 outs were on infield ground balls.

“When we got out of the jam in the first inning, we knew he would get stronger and keep getting better,” the coach said. “I have all the confidence in the world in him when I hand him the ball and tell him to pitch for us.”

Coach Madden said, if he had to describe this team, he would say it is a group of competitors who never give up or worry about the situation.

“They don’t worry about if it is the first inning or the seventh inning,” he said. “They just keep playing hard every time they go out on the field and that is why they are state champs.”

He added that he hadn’t checked the record books but he thinks Green Mountain may be the first Jefferson County school to win back-to-back state baseball championships.

Ramierz had an ice pack on his pitching arm as he talked about the game and the season.

“It was a great experience to be there today,” he said. “Getting to pitch the championship game means the world to me because not many people get to say they got to play in a state championship game much less get to say they were on the state championship team two years in a row.”

He said he has four pitches and tries to move the pitches around to keep the batters guessing.

Schaller had similar comments.

“This is such an amazing feeling today to win a second championship in a row,” he said after the game. “I had a good day with the bat but that is because I listened to the coaches, relaxes and had fun. It felt great out there on the field today and it is even a greater feeling to be part of this two-time championship team.”

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