CLASS 1A BASEBALL REPORT – FINAL FOUR
BY: KERRY SHERMAN
Three games are all that remain in Class 1A before a state champion is crowned. Defending champ Merino is still alive, as is last year’s runner-up, Akron. The two squads of Rams would have to get through Flatirons Academy and Simla, respectively, to set up a title game rematch. Semifinals and finals are played on Thursday at All-Star Park in Lakewood. The championship game is scheduled for 30 minutes after the completion of the second semifinal.
#1 AKRON (19-4) VS #4 SIMLA (16-4) 10AM
Akron broke out the bats in the regional round, beating Sargent 18-3 and Otis 14-1. The Rams trailed 3-0 after the top of the first against Sargent, but then plated a dozen runs in the bottom half to take control. Jakzon Livesay and Jax Kusel had three RBI apiece in that win, while Caleb Poss, Anderson Filla, and Merek Charney added two runs batted in apiece. Poss and Mason Porteus pitched two innings each in the win.
The regional final again saw Akron fall behind early, with Otis plating its lone run in the top of the first. The Rams wouldn’t get on the board until the second, pushing six runs across the dish. After tacking on one in the third, they put the game away with seven in the fourth. Filla had three more RBI, and Tucker Stahn drove in three. That duo also handled the pitching, with Filla going the first 3.2 frames, and Stahn working a perfect inning and a third to close it out.
Simla also showed an ability to play from behind, as the Bear Cubs trailed La Veta 3-0 through two innings in their regional semifinal. The Bear Cubs got two in the fourth and tied it with one in the sixth, setting the stage for the seventh inning walk-off for the 4-3 win. Caston Cox drove in two runs, helping himself spit the hook, as he was saddled with the three runs allowed. T.J. Eurich came on and worked 5.2 scoreless innings to get the victory.
The regional final was another white-knuckler for the Bear Cubs, as they held off a hard-charging Nucla squad to take a 5-3 win. Leading 3-1 entering the bottom of the fifth, Simla scored two insurance runs, which would prove huge, as the Mustangs responded with two in the sixth. However, that would be all of the scoring for both the rest of the way. Wyatt Stanko homered and drove in two, and Eurich scored three times. Cox was a lot sharper in game two, getting the win with five innings of three-hit ball. He allowed one unearned run in that time.
Akron owns an 8-4 win over Simla from way back in March. Stahn and Filla drove in two runs each for the Rams, and Livesay stole three bases in the win. Stanko and Ethan Kissam had two hits apiece for the Bear Cubs. Treven Kochera swiped two bags for Simla.
#3 FLATIRONS ACADEMY (16-5) VS #7 MERINO (17-6) 12:30PM
Mateo Pope held Caliche to just two hits in four shutout innings to beat the Buffs 11-1 in the regional semifinals. The Bison blew opening a tight game with seven runs in the fourth inning. Micah Doughty went 3-3 and Parker Wilson was 2-3 with a home run and two RBI to spark the offense. Pope and Noah Evans also drove in two runs apiece.
The Bison were again locked in another close affair in the regional final against Haxtun, leading 2-1 going to the bottom of the fifth. Flatirons Academy came up with a three-spot in that frame to get a bit of separation. Both teams tacked on a run in the sixth, and with no scoring after that, the Bison were back in the final four thanks to the 6-2 victory. Caleb Doughty and Wilson combined on the five-hitter, striking out seven and walking five between them. Braxton Kelley had two RBI, and M. Doughty was 3-3 with two runs scored.
Merino got a three-hit shutout from the duo of Josiah Mackintosh and Zavier Trenkle in a 12-0 regional semifinal victory over Cheyenne Wells. Mackintosh gave up three hits in four innings and struck out seven,while Trenkle worked a hitless frame in relief. Mackintosh delivered a double and three RBI at the plate, and Caleb Deines had a double and two runs knocked home.
The Rams recorded 20 hits in their 12-3 regional final victory over Eads, handing the Eagles their only loss of the season. Deines had a quarter of the hits, going 5-5, including a double and a triple. Trenkle, Isaac Poe, and Coen Schmidt all had three hits apiece. Schmidt had two doubles and three RBI
POSSIBLE REMATCHES
Akron and Merino have met three times this season, with Merino taking a 5-4 decision in game one of a doubleheader behind two RBI apiece from Mackintosh and Tyler Everhart. Akron won the second game 11-6, with Poss, Kusel, and Livesay each having two RBI. In the D5 semifinal, Akron got a two-run double from Livesay in a three-run third inning. Akron won 3-2.
Flatirons Academy played both Akron and Simla in the regular season. The Bison beat Akron 6-1 in March, with Wilson and Pope combining for 19 strike outs in seven innings. Wilson punched out 14 in five innings.
Simla got a 7-4 win over Flatirons in mid-April, with seven different Bear Cubs scoring a run. Cox, Stanko, and Tatum Kochera combined to allow four earned runs on five hits.
Merino owns a 12-2 win over Simla from just about a week before Simla’s win over Flatirons. Mackintosh had three RBI and also worked 5.2 innings, allowing two runs (one earned). Schmidt added two stolen bases.
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