CLASS 2A BASEBALL REPORT – SATURDAY by Kerry Sherman

CLASS 2A BASEBALL REPORT – SATURDAY

BY: KERRY SHERMAN

Friday was very good to a couple teams who are chasing a regional hosting spot, while a few teams that are just trying to get into the bracket saw their postseason chances take a hit. Today could bring more of the same, with a number of high end match-ups on tap. All rankings are from the Saturday morning release of CHSAA’s Class 2A Selection and Seeding Index.

#14 Yuma @ #7 Burlington (DH)

After getting out of the gates 5-1, Yuma has lost eight of its last 11, including the last four in a row. The Outlaws were blanked 14-0 on Tuesday by 3A #20 Brush, who snapped a nine-game slide in the process. Yuma only had three baserunners in the game, with singles by Reyli Trejo and Angel Escobar, and a double by Silas Baucke. Burlington struck out 17 times in a 4-1 nine-inning loss to #4 Las Animas, but came back on Thursday and built a 14-1 lead at #31 Sedgwick County, before leaking oil in the bottom of the fifth. Burlington ended up holding on for an 18-13 win, with Rowdy Humrich homering and driving in four. The teams combined for 11 errors, leading to 19 unearned runs between them.

#1 Limon @ #28 Wray (DH)

Limon knows it will be hosting a regional next weekend, but the Badgers are still hungry to be the top overall seed. They’ve won all 21 outings this year, including a doubleheader sweep of #3 Peyton (10-8, 22-12) last Saturday. Jordan Rockwell hit his fifth homer of the season in game two, and drove in three runs. Wray swept a doubleheader over Sedgwick County 8-2 and 11-2 in its last competition, breaking a nine-game losing streak by the Eagles. They took advantage of nine Sedgwick County errors in the opener, helping Rydge Peterson get the win on the mound. Peterson doubled twice and had four RBI in the second game.

#23 Rangely @ #17 Meeker

Rangely has won its last three games, including a 12-2 decision over 3A #48 on Thursday. Tristan Scott and Landon Bollinger had three RBI apiece for the Panthers, and Kobey Chisum stole four bags. Scott also got the win, allowing two runs on two hits in five innings. After having its seven-game winning streak snapped, Meeker has strung together four consecutive wins. Last Saturday, the Cowboys beat #45 Grand Valley 13-2, with Clay Crawford and Spencer Gates collecting two RBI apiece. As a team, Meeker stole 13 bases, four by Jace Mobley.

#20 Ellicott @ #18 St. Mary’s (DH)

The Thunderhawks dropped a tough 8-7 extra inning affair with #30 SkyView Academy on Wednesday, after the Hawks plated three in the seventh to tie it, and then scoring the game winner in the top of the eighth. Jedrick Howarth doubled and tripled, and scored two runs in the loss. That was their fifth defeat in the last seven games. St. Mary’s is just 1-3 in its last four after the Pirates were swept last Friday at #6 Buena Vista, 19-5 and 8-2. The Pirates were done in by a 10-run first inning by the Demons in game one. Josh Padrnos had  a pair of RBI in that contest for St. Mary’s. Pirates pitchers hit nine batters in the two game set.

#15 Wiggins @ #31 Sedgwick County (DH)

Wiggins had its modest three-game winning streak snapped on Tuesday, when #5 Holyoke took the second game of a doubleheader 10-0 to earn the split. The Tigers only mustered five hits in the loss, two by Grayson Johnson. Wiggins won the opener 10-6 despite committing eight errors. Jack Epple had three RBI. Facing a potential run-rule defeat on Thursday against Burlington, Sedgwick County made it interesting by scoring four in the fifth, three in the sixth, and five in the seventh. They had two in scoring position when the final out was made. Tate Renquist went 3-4 with a double and four RBI.