Coal Ridge’s Ben Simons pitches no-hitter in baseball season opener

Coal Ridge High School’s junior pitcher Ben Simons kicked off the baseball season with a no-hitter, leading the Titans to an 8-0 victory over Eagle Valley on March 12. 

Simons, the reigning Western Slope League Player of the Year, is setting the stage for another dominant season.

“I hope I can do it again and make sure that I come ready to play each game and do my thing when the time comes,” Simons said, reflecting on his aspirations for the season and his hopes for more no-hitters.

Simons’ performance has raised expectations for a Coal Ridge team looking to build on last year’s success, where they finished with a record of 26-2 after being knocked out in the state playoffs.

“We have confidence in ourselves and we know that we’re good,” Simons continued, highlighting the team’s self-belief and hard work. “We have a darn good team this year and we returned a lot of talent from last year and added some good pieces to the team.”

Simons emphasized the importance of confidence and playing their own style of baseball, especially under pressure. 

“We just have to have confidence in our ability and know who we are and what type of baseball we play,” Simons said. “When we play our best baseball, I feel we are the best team in the state.”

The focus for Simons remains on collective success over individual accolades. 

“I’m really focused on just winning as a team,” he said, reinforcing the idea that the strength of the Titans lies in their unity and mutual support. 

Highlighting the depth of the team, Simons praised teammates like sophomores John Luke Houston and George Roberts, junior Logan Harlow and promising freshman Maddix Olivas. 

“I think a lot of kids are gonna step up,” Simons said. “We have a deep team and we put in a lot of work throughout the offseason.”

Coal Ridge coach Dan Larsen mirrored Simons’ sentiments, particularly praising the team’s cohesion and welcoming atmosphere for newcomers. 

“I think that with the pickup of a few key pieces that make us a little deeper at certain positions and the fact that all these kids are a year older … we should be in a pretty good position again this year,” Larsen said, optimistic about the team’s prospects.

Larsen also commended Simons for his preparation and performance, emphasizing the pitcher’s dedication to maintaining peak condition.

“It was great. It’s early in the season, but Ben takes care of himself,” Larsen said. “He is busy year round playing other sports, but he keeps his arm in good shape and his body in good shape. He is an athlete.”

With a focus on developing a strong pitching lineup, Larsen is confident in the team’s depth. 

“I feel strongly that I have eight strong varsity pitchers at this point,” he stated, planning to rotate players to keep the opposition guessing. “We are really deep at the position and it’s going to help us throughout the course of the season.”

The team has set its sights high, with the ultimate goal of winning the state championship. 

“Obviously, we want to go out and play one game at a time,” Larsen said. “These players have set a goal for themselves this year though, and that goal is to win a state championship.”

With a successful start to the season and a team buoyed by talent and experience, Coal Ridge is eyeing a return to the state playoffs and more, aiming to build on last year’s record and overcome previous setbacks. 

The Titans will next travel to Salida on March 29 to take on the Spartans.

tcramer@postindependent.com