CLASS 1A BASEBALL DISTRICT REPORT – TUESDAY by Kerry Sherman

CLASS 1A BASEBALL DISTRICT REPORT – TUESDAY

BY: KERRY SHERMAN

District tournament play begins in Class 1A today and we will release daily reports throughout the week to provide recaps from the previous day while also looking forward to the games on tap. All games are listed in bracket order.

DISTRICT FOUR (at higher seed)

#8 Cheyenne Wells @ #1 Stratton

These two met last Tuesday, with Stratton sweeping the Tigers 16-0 and 12-4 in Cheyenne Wells. Grady Steerman went 3-3 with a triple and 4 RBI in the opener, while Dawson Thompson and Gage Levin were a combined 8-8 with seven singles and a double. Game two saw Charlie Tagtmeyer and Von Isenbart each collect three hits for the Eagles, while Keaton Marriott had three for Cheyenne Wells. Marriott also swiped three bags in the nightcap.

#5 McClave @ #4 Wiley

Just over a week ago, Wiley got a walk-off hit from Dixie Bitner to win the opener of a doubleheader against McClave by a 5-4 score. Grant Mauch went the distance to earn the victory. Kasen Malone had two hits for the Cardinals in the loss. Rhett McDonald drove in three runs as the Panthers won game two 8-4. Karson Roesch had two RBI for McClave.

#7 Baca County @ #2 Eads

It’s been three weeks since Eads swept a doubleheader at home against Baca County, taking the first by a score of 19-0 and following it with a 17-2 win in the second. Johnathan Vasquez had 5 RBI in the opener and added three more in the second for the Eagles. The Wolverines were held to a total of four hits in the two games.

#6 La Veta @ #3 Holly

Holly visited La Veta last Thursday and came away with a 16-5 victory, part of what was a four-game winning streak by the Wildcats before dropping their regular season finale on Saturday. Dylan Tamayo homered and drove in four, while Nick Vasquez tripled and had 4 RBI. Nine of Holly’s 16 hits were for extra bases. Derek James had two of La Veta’s eight hits, and also drove in a run.

DISTRICT FIVE (top half at Akron, bottom half at Haxtun)

#8 Briggsdale vs #9 Weldon Valley (pigtail)

With nine teams in the district, these two teams have to play a pigtail to get into the quarterfinals in Akron. Just short of three weeks ago, Briggsdale took a DH sweep over the Warriors, 21-3 and 17-7, accounting for all but one of the wins on the season for the Falcons. Halo Snyder, Wyatt Francis, and Gentry Johnson had 3 RBI apiece in the opener. Bella Petrino was credited with the lone RBI for the Warriors in that contest. Johnson and Scott Francis each drove in three runs in game two. Tanner Fiscus homered in both games.

Pigtail winner @ #1 Akron

Akron did not play either of its potential opponents during the regular season. The Rams lost three of their final four games of the season, but still held onto the #1 seed in the bracket by finishing as the top squad in the CHSAA Selection and Seeding Index. Anderson Filla drove home two in Akron’s 4-3 win over 2A Yuma in the regular season finale.

#5 Caliche vs #4 Otis

Otis opened the season by sweeping Caliche on the road, 12-0 and 6-3. JJ Ward allowed one hit over four innings and Erick Thorn worked a clean fifth in the opening game. Thorn, Tayte Smith, and Kaleb Jones had three stolen bases apiece. Sam Lange had the lone hit for the Buffs. Otis scored four in the top of the seventh to win game two. Caliche scored all three runs without the benefit of a hit.

#7 Prairie @ #2 Haxtun

The Fightin’ Bulldogs finished the season red-hot, winning their final nine games. Not included in that stretch was a 20-1 victory over Prairie early in April. Ryland Wolff and Kash Workman both had 3 RBI for Haxtun. Prairie’s only run was batted in by Beau Carlson. Three Haxtun pitchers combined to hold the Mustangs to just three hits.

#6 Peetz vs #3 Merino

Merino handed Peetz a 16-2 loss just short of three weeks back, with the Rams jumping out to a 10-0 lead through three innings. Coen Schmidt worked three scoreless frames to earn the win, and he also recorded three of the team’s 13 stolen bases. Isaac Poe also had three. Logan Vallier and Patrick Moreno were each credited with an RBI for the Bulldogs.

Outside of tournament play, #4 Flatirons Academy hosts #10 Elbert in a contest that could have huge implications when the time comes to seed the regional bracket later this weekend. The Bison had their four-game winning streak snapped by 2A #3 Denver Christian, 4-2, last Thursday. Mateo Pope was the hard-luck loser, despite only one of the four runs he allowed being earned. Elbert swept Kiowa last Monday, 21-0 and 11-5. Matthew Dooley and Steven Smith both plated four runs in the opener for the Bulldogs. Smith also threw a four-inning no-hitter.