Kinney, Roaring Fork hold off Aspen

Jon Maletz
Aspen Correspondent
Glenwood Springs, CO Colorado
April 23, 2008

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EL JEBEL, Colorado — Roaring Fork’s Jake Kinney manufactured a two-out run in the first inning Tuesday against Aspen. Then, he helped manufacture a come-from-behind victory.

The senior pitcher surrendered three hits in seven innings, scored two runs — one coming in a three-run fifth inning that gave Roaring Fork the lead for good — and struck out two Skiers on sharp breaking balls in the final inning as the Rams prevailed, 4-3.

“This isn’t something we’re used to at all,” Rams coach Steve Kinney joked. “The big thing is that we came back.”

The young and relatively inexperienced Rams, who were 0-4 in games decided by two or fewer runs entering Tuesday, trailed, 3-1, as they came to bat in the top of the fifth inning. Key hitting helped them charge back and seize control.

Dietrich Minor drew a walk to lead off the inning, and came around to score when Oscar Beltran hit a sharp line drive that the Aspen center fielder misplayed. After Mike Black grounded weakly to pitcher Taylor Huske, the Skiers opted to intentionally walk Kinney. The move backfired. Beltran scored on Jack Strack-Loertscher’s sacrifice fly to shallow center, sliding in safely as Skiers catcher Zach Maraziti fumbled the relay throw. Kinney stole second, then came around to score the go-ahead run on Wyatt Zetterholm’s RBI single to right.

The one-run cushion was all Kinney needed. He worked around trouble in the fifth, taking advantage of two Skiers baserunning blunders to escape unscathed. Taylor Mayer was caught stealing at second after Walker Moriarty swung through a fastball on an attempted hit-and-run. Minutes later, Moriarty was caught in a run-down.

Kinney struck out two in both the sixth and seventh innings.

“He got stronger at the end of the game,” Roaring Fork coach Steve Kinney said. “He really kept his control.”

“In the first inning, they were picking up my fastball well,” Jake Kinney added. “We decided to change it up after that. As the game went on, I felt better and better.”

Kinney walked three Skiers and struck out nine. During one stretch in the second and third innings, he fanned five consecutive batters. Roaring Fork (3-8 Class 3A Western Slope League, 4-8 overall) will next host Cedaredge in a doubleheader on Saturday.