Bayfield and Broomfield have about as much in common, geographically-and in most everything else, probably-as do Durango and Denver.
That is, they're not even close.
But the Mile High City was where Bayfield local Hayden Farmer, son of Ryan and Deanna, recently played a summer of United States Specialty Sports Association baseball.
Playing July 17-20 for Broomfield-based Thunder Academy in the 2014 USSSA Global World Series' 13 & under-open division, Farmer helped the squad bounce back from an up-and-down 2-2 showing in Pool 'A' play and complete an awesome run to the division's mid-level 'White' championship.
Ninth place overall after pool play, Thunder Academy then reeled off four consecutive victories, the last at Clement Park in Littleton at the expense of Colorado Springs-based Eagles Baseball by a convincing 15-7 edge.
The 'White' bracket also included Colorado teams from Boulder and Pueblo, as well as from Wichita, Kan., Denver City, Tex., Gilbert, Ariz., and Lincoln, Neb.
By downing the Texas-based Xplosion 9-2, the Kansas-based Cardinals 16-3 and Pueblo-based Evolution Red 6 to 1 while climbing the ladder-Thunder Academy managed to amass 76 runs while allowing just 38 during their eight outings.
According to the USSSA website, Thunder Academy improved to 23-24 overall in 2014.
Legends Baseball from Chandler, Ariz., went 8-0 and prevailed in the 'Red,' while Parker-based Gameday XIII recovered from shaky pool-play performances to go 3-for-3 and win the 'Blue' title with a 4-3 overall event mark.
