LAKEWOOD — A bit of a rough start Monday on the baseball diamond did the trick in waking up the Lakewood Tigers’ bats
Wheat Ridge took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Senior DJ Miller stole home on a throwback to the Lakewood pitcher Garrett Weingardt after a walk to highlight the inning.
However, it was all Lakewood from there on out. The Tigers scored 19 unanswered runs to take a 19-2 victory that ended with a walk-off, 3-run home run by senior Aizik Wegs in the bottom of the fourth inning to induce the 15-run mercy rule.
“It was a good little rebound for us after struggling last week offensively,” Lakewood coach Derrick Peterson said. “We were able to find our swing again and playing good baseball. This time of year that is what we are here to do.”
Lakewood (6-2 record) suffered losses to Legend and Castle View last week. The Tigers combined for just six runs in those two losses where they gave up 24 runs.
It was a completely different story on Lakewood’s home field against the Farmers (1-5). The Tigers belted five home runs in the victory that ended the 2-game losing streak.
“Today we were just having fun,” Lakewood senior Eze Rojas said of the Tigers’ 13-hit performance that included the five home runs. “Lately we have played scared. We played some tough competition. When we are having fun, being ourselves and being a team we can do some damage with the bats.”
Rojas hit his fourth and five home runs on the season against Wheat Ridge. The senior crushed a solo home run in the bottom of the first inning. He ripped a laser over the left field fence for a 2-run home run in the bottom of the third inning.
“I was just up there to swing at everything really,” Rojas said of his approach at the plate. “Just see ball, hit ball. I had fun doing that today.”
Rojas has a .478 batting average with nearly half of his 11 hits having left the yard. He also has a triple and 10 RBIs.
“He is a special one for sure,” Peterson said Rojas. “Watching how he trains and how he takes every single pitch in (batting practice) seriously. It definitely translates onto the field for what he does. He never gets short-changed.”
Sophomore Mathis Joens added to the home run parade with a solo home run in the bottom of the second inning. Senior Bryson Stieger had a pinch-hit, 2-run home run to cap off the 9-run bottom of the third inning.
Wegs finished off the game with the fifth and final shot over the fence by the Tigers in the bottom of the fourth inning.
On the mound, senior Garrett Weingardt settled in after giving up two runs in the first inning. Weingardt finished with six strikeouts before being relieved by sophomore lefty CJ Mahoney with one out in the top of the fourth inning.
Mahoney struck out a pair to allow the Tigers’ offense get back to work in the bottom half of the fourth inning to end the game.
“We just hope our offense can step up when we face tougher pitching,” Peterson said. “We also need some of our younger guys on the mound step up and give us quality innings.”
The Class 5A Jeffco League was a tight race last season with eight of the nine teams separated by just one win. Peterson expects the same this spring.
“Our league is going to be competitive where anyone can beat anyone,” Peterson said.
Wheat Ridge has a new leader with Jarett Hack taking over the coaching duties for longtime coach Adam Miller. Hack is a 2013 Golden High School graduate. The Farmers will dive into 4A Jeffco League play coming up Thursday, April 6, against Green Mountain on Wheat Ridge’ home field.