CLASS 1A BASEBALL REPORT – APRIL 16-18 by Kerry Sherman

CLASS 1A BASEBALL REPORT – APRIL 16-18

BY: KERRY SHERMAN

Springtime in Colorado has already caused some disruption of this week’s schedule, with rain showers and extremely dangerous wins postponing several games in the Northeastern corner of the state on Tuesday. Some have already been moved to Wednesday. Other areas of the state were still able to get contests in as scheduled. All of the rankings come from Tuesday morning’s release of the Class 1A CHSAA Selection and Seeding Index.

TUESDAY

The three-way tie that existed atop the District 4 standings last week has been trimmed to just two teams without a loss in district play. One of those teams, #8 Eads hosts #12 McClave, who is part of a tie for third with #6 Holly. Eads rides a six-game winning streak after sweeping #22 Cheyenne Wells last Tuesday and blasting Granada 21-0 on Friday. The Eagles scored 57 runs in those three games last week. McClave had its seven-game unbeaten streak to begin the season snapped last Thursday in a 10-0 loss to 2A #7 Fowler. The Cardinals followed that with a 12-1 loss to #7 Stratton on Saturday. They managed a total of eight hits in the two losses.

Stratton holds the other half of the lead in the district and the Eagles travel to #14 Wiley. The Eagles got six RBI from Brody Webb in a 22-0 win over Manzanola last Tuesday, but only managed two baserunners against 2A #1 Limon on Friday in a 10-0 loss. They were no-hit in that contest. Stratton bounced back the next day in the win over McClave, with Bex Seaman earning the win on the mound and ending the game early with a two-run homer in the bottom of the fifth. Grant Mauch threw a four-inning perfect game for Wiley in its 18-0 win over Manzanola last Friday. He struck out nine of the 12 batters he faced.

Trying to remain within striking distance of the co-leaders is Holly, who takes a four-game winning streak into a doubleheader at Baca County. The most recent in that streak came on Friday, as the Wildcats beat Cheyenne Wells 9-1, behind Devin Eaton, who went 3-3 with three RBI. Eaton also earned the win. Baca County is mired in an eight-game slide, during which the Wolverines have scored three runs or less seven times.

Evangel Christian (#13) shares the lead in District 2 with #10 Simla and they meet next Tuesday. The Eagles will look to make it two straight wins and four of five when they travel to Kiowa. ECA got two RBI apiece from Andrew Gregory, Wyatt Barger, and David Damborg in a 12-2 win over Cripple Creek-Victor last Thursday. Kiowa has been outscored 23-1 in two previous district games and the Indians have lost their last four contests overall.

Dove Creek (#20) hosts 2A #29 Ignacio in a San Juan Basin doubleheader, with the Bulldogs looking to end a three-game slide. They were swept by 2A #28 Rangely last Saturday, 9-3 and 21-18 in nine innings. The Bulldogs held an 18-12 lead going into the top of the seventh in the nightcap, before the Panthers plated six to send the game into extras. Rangely got three in the top of the ninth to win it. Taber DeJane went 5-7 with five runs and 6 RBI in the loss. Ignacio has won three straight, outscoring South Park 38-4 in a doubleheader last Saturday. Phillip Quintana scored a total of seven runs in the DH.

WEDNESDAY

Originally scheduled for Tuesday but pushed back a day to hopefully have safer playing conditions, #1 Akron visits #3 Merino for a doubleheader on Wednesday. Merino leads District 5 by a game over Akron, with #24 Briggsdale and #18 Prairie also in the mix. Akron’s won four in a row after sweeping Caliche last Friday, 14-4 and 14-1. Brandon Hellyer doubled and tripled in the opener, and Alex Bowin drove home three in game two, while also picking up the win by allowing a run on four hits. Merino took a 6-5 walk-off over #4 Haxtun, after the Fightin’ Bulldogs had tied it in the top of the seventh with three runs. Coen Schmidt delivered the game-winner with a single. Haxtun rebounded to win game two by a 9-6 count.

THURSDAY

Pending the outcomes of the key games on Tuesday, the top of the District 4 standings could be a muddled mess by Thursday. Eads heads to Holly, and the Eagles could still be in a tie with Stratton, or possibly tied for second with Holly. There’s even a chance that they could be alone in first place. Holly begins the week with the best position in the Seeding Index of all teams in the district, and a win over Eads would help solidify that.

Co-leader in District 2, Simla travels to #11 Elbert, who is just a game back in the standings. The Cubs have won five straight, the last four all in shutouts. In those four shutouts, Simla has outscored the opposition 56-0 and allowed a total of four hits. Dalton Hisle and Wyatt Stanko combined to no-hit Cripple Creek-Victor in last Tuesday’s 15-0 victory. Elbert takes a three-game winning streak into a Tuesday contest with CCV, ahead of the big clash with Simla. Steven Smith had three doubles, two runs, and two RBI in a 10-4 win at Calhan on Monday.