Class 3A Baseball League Breakdown
Colorado 7 League
The Colorado 7 league is a mix of 3A and 4A team. The automatic spots for the Colorado 7 league are decided by either winning outright or finishing second in league. Currently the Colorado 7 league is tied at the top with Fort Morgan (4A) and Fort Lupton tied at 4-0. Sitting in third place is Weld Central at 4-2 and they are hoping to move into the #2 spot.. Fort Lupton plays Fort Morgan on 4/25. Fort Lupton has locked up at least the #2 spot and a guaranteed berth into the 3A bracket. Fort Lupton will be playing for a league title on 4/25 against Fort Morgan. The RPI numbers for the Colorado 7 3A teams are:
#18 Fort Lupton, #21 Weld Central, and #58 Englewood
So currently without the automatic berths Fort Lupton and Weld Central have a pretty good shot at making it into the 3A Regional field.
Frontier League
All the rest of the 3A league have a pretty simple way of getting into the Regional Tournament. If you finish 1st or 2nd in your league you automatically qualify for the regional tournament. The rest of the field is selected via RPI. The Frontier League currently has one undefeated team left and that is The Academy. The Academy is currently 4-0 in league and 9-2 overall. Chasing The Academy is Bennett (5-1), DSST-Stapleton (5-1), and Middle Park (4-1). The Academy plays Bennet on 4/30, Middle Park on 5/4, and DSST-Stapleton on 5/7. Middle Park could help eliminate a team hoping to make a run for a league title tomorrow when they play Platte Canyon who is 4-2 in league. Middle Park also has the head to head win over Bennett but not over DSST-Stapleton. The battle for second place may come down to the tie-breaker rules as all 3 teams have beat each other unless one of the 3 teams upsets The Academy. We are still a week away before a league Champion can be claimed. The RPI numbers for the Frontier League are:
#12 The Academy, #28 Bennett, #30 Middle Park, #31 DSST-Stapleton, #39 Platte Canyon, #44 Jefferson, #49 Sheridan,
So currently without the automatic berth, The Academy, Bennett, DSST-Stapleton, and Middle Park would be into the playoff, but DSST-Stapleton and Middle Park are squarely on the bubble.
Intermountain League
The Intermountain League is all but wrapped up. Alamosa sweep Bayfield this past weekend to lock up the District Championship. Bayfield needs to at least split their final 2 league games against Monte Vista to lock up the #2 spot. If Bayfield for some reason was sweep by Monte Vista then Pagosa Springs or Centauri could make move to jump them for the #2 spot. This weekend will determine the final automatic berth. The RPI numbers for the Intermountain League are:
#9 Alamosa, #23 Pagosa Springs, #24 Centauri, #27 Bayfield #40 Monte Vista, and #50 Montezuma-Cortez
So currently without the automatic berths, Alamosa, Bayfield, Pagosa Springs, and Centauri would all qualify for Regionals. Pagosa Springs, Centauri, and Bayfield are still on the Bubble but are looking better and better to qualify to regionals. Monte Vista is going to need a lot to qualify for Regionals.
Metro League
The Metro league has been an interesting league to watch so far, this year with teams beating each other up. Faith Christian is now leading the Metro league at 5-0. Lutheran beat Peak to Peak to give them their only league lose and help Faith Christian move into first. Peak to Peak is still sitting in second place followed by Lutheran and Colorado Academy in third. Faith Christian really hits the meat of their schedule on 4/28 when they play Peak to Peak followed by a game against Colorado Academy on 4/30 and then play Lutheran on 5/1. Faith Christian will have a good understanding where they stand after this weekends games. Peak to Peak has a massive game against Kent Denver tomorrow 4/26 and of course there big games against Faith Christian and Colorado Academy. Lutheran has 4 games left on their schedule against Kent Denver (x2), Machebeuf, and Faith Christian. Lutheran can still win league but will need a little help from other teams to upset Faith Christian then would have to pull an upset themselves. The Metro league will have more decided by this weekend. The RPI numbers for the Metro League are:
#3 Peak to Peak, #6 Faith Christian, #10 Colorado Academy, #13 Kent Denver, #22 Machebeuf, #25 Jefferson Academy, #26 Lutheran, #47 Prospect Ridge, #52 SkyView Academy
Currently without the automatic berths 7 of the 9 teams from the Metro league would make the field. Only SkyView Academy and Prospect Ridge would be left out. Lutheran and Jefferson Academy are the two teams on the bubble currently.
Patriot League
The Patriot League has been a battle so far and with around 3 league games there is still plenty of time for movement. Currently University (4-0) is atop the league standings and are the only undefeated team left. Three teams are still battling for the #2 spot. Resurrection Christian (5-1), Eaton (4-1), and Valley (4-1). University controls their own destiny and with big games against Sterling (4/27) and Valley (5/1) they are just two wins from locking up the #1 spot. University cannot overlook Strasburg and Estes Park either. The real mess in the Patriot leagues goes to figuring out the order for the #2 spot. Eaton still has to play Resurrection Christian but have the head to head over Valley. Valley will know their tomorrow 4/26 when they play Resurrection Christian. Eaton can nearly lock up the #2 spot if Resurrection Christian is beat by Valley tomorrow. If not then Eaton will have to wait and also hope University is upset. The Patriot League still has a few things to get sorted out but after this week we should know the order. The RPI numbers for the Patriot League are:
#1 University, #5 Eaton, #8 Sterling, #11 Resurrection Christian, #14 Valley, #15 Platte Valley, #29 Brush, #45 Liberty Common, #46 Strasburg #56 Estes Park
Currently 7 of the 10 teams from the Patriot league would make it into the playoffs. Brush is sitting at #29 and is on the bubble. The rest of the 6 teams all look pretty good right now and are all in the top 15 of the RPI.
Tri-Peaks League
The Tri-Peaks league is set up at the West and the East. In the East League Lamar is undefeated but with a huge game against La Junta coming nothing can be decided yet. La Junta and Lamar have played each other before with La Junta snagging the first win. Lamar plays La Junta on 4/26 and that game will decided the East Champion. The leagues also play a crossover game to help decide the order of finishing as well and that takes place May 5th. La Junta has 3 league games remaining two against Lamar, 1 against Trinidad and of course the crossover game on May 5th. The West League is being led by Buena Vista currently. Buena Vista is 5-0 in league and hold the head to head over 3rd place Florence. Buena Vista still has to play two games against Salida and that will decide the West Champion. Buena Vista plays Salida on 4/28. Salida is in second at 4-2 but was sweep by Florence so Florence who is in third could still catch Salida. Salida has two leagues games left against Buena Vista. Florence is 5-3 in in league and could still finish second in the west. Florence must hope Salida is sweep by Buena Vista to finish second. The RPI numbers for the Tri Peaks-Leagues are:
#2 Lamar, #4 La Junta, #7 Buena Vista, #17 Rye, #32 St. Mary’s, #33 Salida, #38 Florence, #48 Manitou Springs.
Currently Lamar, La Junta, Buena Vista, and Rye all look solid to make it to Regionals. Salida, St. Mary’s, and Florence are all on the outside looking in, but all still could make moves to slide into the Top 32 in the RPI.
Western Slope League
Two undefeated teams remain in the Western Slope League. Delta and Aspen are perfect at 6-0. Cedaredge is in second place at 4-1 and Coal Ridge and Moffat County are in third place with two losses. Delta and Aspen have 3 league games remaining. Delta three remaining league games are against Basalt, Aspen, and Grand Valley. The Delta vs Aspen games takes place on 4/27 and are league champion could be decided by then. Aspen three remaining league games are against Delta, Cedaredge, and Moffat County. Even with a win over Delta Aspen will need to beat Cedaredge to lock up the league championship. The Western Slope League has a ton of big games remaining and 3 teams are battling for the two automatic berths. The Western Slope League RPI numbers are some of the lower in Class 3A and a ton of questions still arise about the Western Slope League. RPI Numbers for the Western Slope are:
#16 Delta, #19 Aspen, #20 Cedaredge, #34 Coal Ridge, #35 Basalt, #36 Roaring Fork, #37 Moffat County
Currently 3 teams would make the playoffs; Aspen, Delta, and Cedaredge. Coal Ridge, Basalt, Roaring Fork, and Moffat County are all on the outside looking in but with some timely wins could make a move into the Top 32
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