Regardless of the finish at Mountain Lion Park, Karter Vega-Hernandez would leave a winner. 

That’s because Vega-Hernandez competed for both teams. 

During Monday’s 64th annual Colorado Springs Senior All-Star Game, Vega-Hernandez spent eight innings playing for Pikes Peak’s all-star team. In the bottom of the ninth, though, the Fountain-Fort Carson senior switched sides to pitch for Gold Camp, who won the contest 12-10. 

“It was pretty funny,” Vega-Hernandez said. “(Mark) Swope walked in the dugout and asked me to pitch for them and I said I would.”

Gold Camp ran out of pitchers late in the game and required another arm to complete the contest. Much of Gold Camp’s team recently wrapped state baseball tournament games and coach Joseph Monroe said he didn’t want to further exhaust those players. So, Gold Camp borrowed a pitcher from its opposition. 

“This isn’t about throwing those guys out there and risking them getting hurt because a lot of these guys are playing college ball next year,” Monroe said. “Our second-to-last pitcher wanted to go those final three innings, but I didn’t want him to go out there. So, I’m like, ‘I’m running out of players.’ And he came over and pitched in the ninth for us.” 

Vega-Hernandez helped keep Pikes Peak scoreless in the bottom of the ninth to stave off his old team, which combined to score seven runs in the sixth and seventh innings to tie the game. 

“It was amazing to be out here and to see all the guys again,” Vega-Hernandez said. “These are the guys who I grew up with and it’s amazing to be out here and get some work in before we leave.” 

Widefield and Gold Camp’s Nick Prantl’s hitting paved the way for his team to take a lead they never relinquished. 

Gold Camp bolted to a 6-3 lead after the fifth but watched Pikes Peak score five in the fifth to build an 8-6 advantage. Gold Camp added four runs in the top of the seventh and Pikes Peak tied it at 10-10 with a pair of runs in the frame. 

But Prantl’s RBI triple in the top of the ninth gave Gold Camp the lead and it’s a moment he hoped would come in his final game repping Widefield.

“I want to be up with the game on the line,” Prantl said. “The first two pitches, I didn’t pull the trigger. But I had a lot of trust in my two-strike approach, battled, got my pitch and did some damage with that. … I’m over the moon to have had this opportunity to play in this game. It was a great time and this whole season has been an amazing experience. To turn around (Widefield’s) program and take them somewhere they have not been before and get out here and have some fun was great.”

Monroe, who leads Widefield’s program during the prep season, helped coach the Gladiators to an 18-6 record, the best mark in the MaxPreps’ era, which dates back to 2008 for Widefield. The Gladiators had four players participate in the all-star game — three seniors and one junior. Monroe said several Gladiator players traveled to Mountain Lion Park to support their teammates and the bevy of formidable players on both teams. Monroe hopes it motivates his kids in the future.

“I told my younger players that it’s their turn to come play in this game,” Monroe said. “I’m glad they got to see this. They see how hard they work and what being coachable does to get to this level of competition. It’s good for them.”   

Notes

In the junior all-star game, Pikes Peak shut out Gold Camp 6-0. Pikes Peak won last year’s contest 9-7 with a walk-off home run but shut out Gold Camp this season.

Several players who earned all-star honors, but will compete in the final week of the season, did not compete in this year’s contest:

Pine Creek: Troy Peerey, Aidyn Williams, Kyle McDonnell, Jake Holm, Tristan Mullis, Cade Johnson.

Falcon: Aaron Jacquez, Garrett Kyle, Brayden Millikan, Ethan Gentz, Ronan Sadorus, Broden Cox, Nash Holtz, Tyler Reichers, Talan Chubb.

The Classical Academy: Zach Mediavilla, CJ Mullen, Chase Rorabaugh, Ezekiel Kimmig.