New baseball rule not pitch perfect - #lakewoodnews

It was a needed move when a pitch-count limit was implemented this season for Colorado High School Activities Association baseball games to limit damage to young arms.However, CHSAA needs to find a way not to be caught looking by keeping coaches in both dugouts informed of "official" pitch counts, especially in state playoff games when pitching staffs could be overworked with teams playing three games in two days.An unfortunate situation could have unfolded in the Cherokee Trail-Cherry Creek playoff game May 21 at All-City Stadium in Denver.Cherokee Trail pitcher Keven MacKintosh approached the pitch limit in the sixth inning. As he prepared to face his final batter, a person in charge of keeping the tally in the press box already had him having thrown the maximum 110 pitches. An individual was sent to inform the Cherokee Trail coaches, but they had their player with only 109 pitches. MacKintosh pitched to the final batter of the inning, got the out and his team went on to win, 10-8.During a post-game discussion, it was revealed the Cherry Creek pitch count had MacKintosh already over the limit before facing his final batter. During the game, Creek did not make an issue of it, and an on-scene CHSAA official wasn't going to argue over one pitch.A violation discovered during the game could have resulted in a forfeit, but with the game in the books, the score will stand.When there are three different pitch counts, something needs to be done to enforce the rule. The person keeping count in the press box May 21 had the official tally, according to a CHSAA official.Douglas County High School has a portable scoreboard that can be mounted above the dugout to keep both teams and fans informed of pitch counts. That's an easy way to maybe solve disputes before the sixth or seventh inning. Or maybe a "visible" official appointed by CHSAA should inform both teams of pitch counts inning-by-inning, especially when a pitcher is nearing the limit.Both Cherokee Trail and Cherry Creek remain alive in the double-elimination tournament, which resumes play May 27. Bert Borgmann, CHSAA assistant commissioner, said the rules will be reviewed before then, with the aim of having a better solution before a champion is crowned.An Olympic previewColorado soccer fans have a chance to see the U.S. Women's National team before the Rio de Janeiro Summer Olympics.The 25-player roster for the sold-out June 2 friendly match against Japan at Dick's Sporting Good Park in Commerce City includes Mallory Pugh of Highlands Ranch, Linsey Horan of Golden and Denver's Jaelene Hinkle.Coach Jill Ellis must trim the roster to 18 players for the Olympics.Pugh, the 18-year-old who just graduated from Mountain Vista, became the youngest player at age 17 to make the national team roster in 11 years last January. She scored in a Jan. 23 match against Ireland, making her the 19th U.S. female player to score in her debut. She played for Real Colorado and is the captain of the team that will compete at the 2016 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in Papua New Guinea in November.Horan, 22, went to Golden High School but didn't play soccer. She played club soccer for the Colorado Rush and became the first female soccer player in U.S. history to sign a professional contact after her high school graduation with Paris Saint-Germain. She was one of the top U.S. youth national team players and returned to the U.S. Women's national team in 2015 after making her debut in 2013. Horan had micro fracture knee surgery in 2014 but appears to have regained her form.Hinkle, 22, played soccer and basketball at Valor Christian and is a defender for the Western New York Flash. She played club soccer for Real Colorado and last October was called up to the national team for a friendly match against Brazil during the team's victory tour after winning the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup. She has international experience on U.S. youth national teams.Gatorade honors SabercatCastle View senior Julie Mackin is the 2015-16 Colorado Gatorade Soccer Player of the Year.Mackin, a 5-foot-4 forward and midfielder, scored 14 goals and had five assists for a Castle View team that finished 10-7-0 for the season. She also was a defender on the United States U-18 Women's National team that traveled to Spain for a La Manga Tournament in March.She has a 3.98 grade point average and will play next season at Clemson.Mackin's name is added to the list of previous Colorado Gatorade Soccer Players of the Year that includes Mountain Vista's Mallory Pugh (2014-15), Kaycie Young of Rock Canyon (2013-14), Mountain Vista's Gabbi Miranda (2012-13), Janine Beckie of Valor Christian (2011-12) and Annie Kunz of Wheat Ridge (2010-11 and 2009-10).All-American Bowl nomineesThree local players are among five Colorado athletes and 400 nationally to be nominated to play in the 2017 All-American Army Bowl football game that will be held Jan. 7, 2017 in San Antonio.Valor Christian quarterback Dylan McCaffrey, Pomona lineman Jake Moretti and Cherry Creek defensive lineman Jonathan Van Diest headline the list of Colorado nominees.Ninety players will make up the East and West teams and finalists will be announced next fall.Brookhart lands new jobMike Brookhart, who was looking for a new challenge when he announced that 2015-16 season would be his last as Cherry Creek's boys basketball coach, is the new head coach for the Denver West Cowboys.One of his assistant coaches will be former Manual and St. John's standout Chucky Sproling. In a 1988 game against North, Sproling scored a Colorado record 74 points. And those points came before the 3-point shot was introduced.Jim Benton is a sports writer for Colorado Community Media. He has been covering sports in the Denver area since 1968. He can be reached at jbenton@coloradocommunitymedia.com or at 303-566-4083.

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