It has become an annual tradition lately for Golden to be awarded the Class 4A Jeffco League baseball title.
The Demons officially clinched their fourth straight league title on Tuesday with a 15-0 victory over Pomona in the last regular season home game for Golden.
“This one means a lot,” Golden junior Luca Casali said of another league title. “At the beginning of the season we didn’t want to be the team that lost the streak. We wanted to be a team to keep it going. I’m glad we pulled it off.”
Golden has a 38-3 record in league play over the past four seasons. The Demons wrap up the regular season in their conference finale at Littleton on Thursday, May 9.
“They set goals for themselves at the beginning of the year,” Golden Coach Jackie McBroom said. “The seniors were super focused. They didn’t want to be the group to lose the league championship.”
Golden (20-2, 7-1 in league) made quick work of Pomona (5-16, 1-7). The Demons scored six runs on six hits in the bottom of the first inning to take a commanding 6-0 lead. Sophomore Brody McBroom —Coach McBroom’s youngest son — had a big three-run double in the first inning.
“We were able to do it with runners in scoring position today, which is a big thing,” McBroom said.
Junior Jaydon Stroup ripped a solo home run to push the lead to 7-0 after two innings. Golden sent 13 batters to the plate in the Demons’ eight-run bottom of the third inning to extend the lead to 15-0.
Casali had a base-clearing, three-run double and Brody McBroom knocked in a pair of runs with single in the gap.
“It was awesome to have a good approach against a pitcher,” Casali said of the Demons pounding out 13 hits over the three frames. “Instead of trying to yank balls and hit home runs, we are focused on hitting balls the other way and keeping (swings) short.”
Credit: Dennis Pleuss / Jeffco Public Schools
On the mound, junior Taden Svendsen only had to throw 28 pitches through three innings to get nine outs. Svendsen didn’t give up a hit and struck out three to pick up his fourth win of the season. Sophomore Tyler Sherrill finished out the game on the hill retiring the side before Golden picked up another league plaque.
The game ended after due to the 15-run mercy rule after four innings.
“This is an interesting group because they show up, but they are really laidback. Sometimes you feel like you need to remind them that this could be a big day,” McBroom said. “We reminded them what was on the line and what they could take care of today. They went out and did everything they needed to do to make that happen.”
After the regular season finale against Littleton (7-14, 2-5), the Demons will likely host one of the eight 4A regionals on May 18. Golden is currently No. 2 in the CHSAA Selection & Seeding Index.
“We are off on a good foot heading into playoffs,” Casali said. “It gives us the best chance of redemption at state.”
The redemption that Casali is referring to is Golden finishing as the 4A state runner-up last year. Severance edged the Demons 1-0 to end the double-elimination 4A state tournament a year ago.
Dennis Pleuss is the Sports Information Director for Jeffco Public Schools. For more Jeffco coverage, go to CHSAANow.com.