This one’s for you, Tyler.
So said Legend’s baseball team as the Titans took the field as heavy underdogs on the road against Castle View on April 11 — just weeks after their senior pitcher, Tyler Harvey, played in what was likely his last game at Legend after being diagnosed with sarcoma cancer.
Against Castle View, ranked No. 1 in Colorado, the Titans got knocked down early, then rallied, then got knocked down again. Through it all, they kept fighting — just like Tyler would’ve wanted.
In the end, behind Silas Meuli’s monster day at the plate and an impressive showing by Nick Farley on the mound, Legend pulled off a stunner, beating its rival from over the hill 8-6.
Ranked 81 spots behind Castle View, the Titans dedicated the game — and their entire season — to their 18-year-old teammate up the road at Children’s Hospital Colorado.
To make it all even sweeter, it was Legend’s first win since beating Eaglecrest on March 26. That afternoon, Tyler pitched four innings and recorded seven strikeouts, surrendering just one run in the process. He also went 1-for-2 at the plate.
“We’ve been trying to play for Tyler all year,” said Legend Coach Scott Boyd, whose players all wore yellow armbands in Tyler’s honor. “We’ve struggled a little bit, but today, we put it all together, so it feels really good. I’m really proud of my guys.”
Tyler would’ve been proud, too, perhaps most especially of Meuli, the cleanup hitter who blasted two home runs and accounted for five runs, and Farley, his mound mate who spun 78 pitches and settled in nicely after a bit of a bumpy start.
But Tyler would’ve been proud of all his buddies — all of them reached base at least once, and Cooper Tennison pitched two shutout innings in relief to help seal the win.
Most importantly, Tyler would’ve been proud of how his teammates battled.
They fell behind 3-0 early, but back-to-back homers by Meuli and Colton Brush, followed by Kaiden Krause’s trip home on a fielder’s choice, evened the score.
They fell behind again, but Meuli’s three-run shot over the right-centerfield fence in the top of the third inning handed the Titans their first lead of the game at 6-5.
They watched as the Sabercats tied it up in the bottom half of the inning, but a sacrifice fly by Isaiah Berard gave the Titans the lead for good. A hard-hit comebacker by Krause to score Meuli in the top of the fifth put an important insurance run in Tennison’s back pocket.
“Tyler’s been my best friend since we were young,” Meuli said. “He’s going through a tough time right now, but we play for him every day, we say his name every day and we pray for him every day. Being able to play for him is a really great opportunity for all of us.”
Meuli and his teammates will have plenty more opportunities to play for their friend as a 12-game league schedule, which begins on April 14, awaits.
The win over Castle View also provided a major spark for the Titans as they ready for the rugged 5A/4A Continental League.
“It’s a great chance to go into league on a high note,” Meuli said. “We’re going to face some tough opponents. Our league is really good, but we know Tyler’s got our back.”
The Sabercats (11-2), meanwhile, will look to rebound, and one has every reason to believe they will — they’re off to the best start in program history, they have an array of starters back from last year’s 17-6 team and they have plenty of big bats in their lineup.
Against Legend, Samuel Harry hit a home run on his way to going 3-for-4, Keyan Lundvall went 2-for-4 and knocked in three runs, and Zachary Bitton and Jace Van Long each had an RBI.
The Sabercats showed just how dangerous they can be on offense in the first inning, when Harry laced a 1-1 pitch to right field for a standup double and Tommy Feldhake, Lundvall, Derek Gordon and Bitton ripped four consecutive singles for a quick lead.
“Top to bottom, our lineup is really solid,” Castle View Coach Troy Spahn said. “The one thing about this team is they have a really good mentality. We don’t have a lot of highs and lows. They’re very even-keeled.
“This (loss) is a good lesson for us. I’m glad it’s happening early. When you’re at the top, everybody’s coming for you. You’re going to see everybody’s best.”
What the Sabercats saw on April 11 in Castle Rock was a team playing its collective heart out for an ailing friend who couldn’t be there in person.
But Tyler Harvey was clearly there in spirit.