CLASS 2A BASEBALL REPORT
BY: KERRY SHERMAN
Just a couple of weeks are left in the regular season in Class 2A, and there is still quite a bit of shuffling happening in the top portion of the CHSAA Selection and Seeding Index. Several teams are still in the hunt for one of the final eight regional hosting spots. All rankings in this report come from Wednesday morning’s release of the Seeding Index.
#1 FORGE CHRISTIAN (11-1)
Despite a 9-1 loss to 3A #3 Prospect Ridge Academy last Thursday, Forge Christian remains atop the Index standings. The Fury bounced back from that loss to beat Prospect Ridge Academy two days later, 10-0, and followed that up with wins over #5 Dayspring Christian (12-1), and 3A #36 Jefferson Academy (12-4) on Monday and Tuesday, respectively. Carsen Hughes had eight RBI in the three-game winning streak, including four on Tuesday. Jonah Boyles recorded eight stolen bases, with three on Monday and four on Tuesday. Forge Christian will host Jefferson Academy on Thursday, and will host 3A #2 Eaton in a huge showdown on Saturday. The Fury then opens a home-and-home with 3A #21 Colorado Academy on Tuesday, taking the show on the road for that contest.
#2 MONTE VISTA (14-0)
With Forge’s loss last week, and a doubleheader sweep of #35 Del Norte, Monte Vista is the lone unbeaten team in 2A. The Pirates bludgeoned Del Norte 20-0 and 19-0 last Saturday, with 10 extra base hits in game one. That included the third home run in as many games by Manny Jiron. Kobe Jiron struck out seven and gave up three hits in three innings to earn the win. Landon Sanchez and Judah Howe combined on a one-hitter in game two. The Pirates have recorded four straight shutouts. That steak will be tested with five games in as many days, starting with a tournament at #10 Buena Vista over the weekend. Monte Vista plays #26 Rye on Friday, and then tangles with Buena Vista and #43 Rangely. The Pirates wrap up the stretch at #47 Trinidad on Tuesday.
#3 YUMA (9-4)
The Outlaws bring a three-game winning streak into the week after sweeping #20 Wiggins last Thursday, and taking down 3A #33 Bennett on Monday. Yuma got a double and three RBI from Stevie Seward in its 10-5 win over Wiggins in the opening game of the doubleheader, and Brodie Kallweit drove in two runs in the 6-2 nightcap victory. It was Jesus Rodriguez providing the big offensive production in the 14-6 win over Bennett, as he doubled and drove in four runs. The Outlaws stole 16 bases in that contest, five by Alex Pensado. Yuma travels to #23 Byers for two on Thursday, and will host #40 Holyoke for two on Saturday.
#4 WRAY (12-2)
Wray’s winning streak reached five with a pair of victories at #25 Highland last Saturday, and a 5-3 decision over 1A #2 Haxtun on Tuesday. Gabe Kechter got the win in a 7-2 contest to open the doubleheader at Highland, after allowing one earned run on no hits in four innings. He also helped his cause with a pair of RBI. Wray controlled game two, 21-4, behind Grady Godsey. Godsey had three RBI and also collected the win on the hill. The Eagles broke a 3-all tie with Haxtun on Tuesday by scoring twice in the bottom of the sixth. Hudson Rockwell had a double and two RBI. Wray hosts 1A #14 Caliche on Thursday, and welcomes Wiggins in for two on Saturday.
#5 DAYSPRING CHRISTIAN (9-4)
The Eagles sandwiched a pair of lopsided wins around their 12-1 loss to Forge Christian. They handled #14 Front Range Christian 13-0 last Thursday, and then beat 1A #16 Rocky Mountain Lutheran 11-1 on Tuesday. Quentin Kissler and Owen Steward combined on the five hit shutout of Front Range Christian. Steward and Ethan Martinez had five RBI apiece. The Eagles were held to three hits by Forge Christian on Monday, but the offense responded with a dozen knocks on Tuesday, three by Martinez, who doubled, homered, and drove in three. Gavin Bohl struck out 12. Dayspring Christian goes to #32 Clear Creek on Thursday, and #18 Dawson School next Tuesday.
#6 LIMON (8-3)
The Badgers only had one game in the past week, a 15-2 victory over Holyoke on Monday. Limon scored in five of six innings, including three runs in each of the first three frames. Brody Scherrer had one of the team’s three triples, and drove in a team-leading six runs. Ryker Lockhart and Aidan Kollath swiped three bases apiece, as the team tallied 13 stolen bases. Limon hosts #12 Fowler on Wednesday, and 1A #3 Akron on Thursday. The Badgers travel to 1A #4 Merino on Saturday, and #7 Las Animas next Tuesday.
#7 LAS ANIMAS (14-2)
The offense produced in a big way for the Trojans in their last four games, as they beat Buena Vista 11-4 last Wednesday, took a doubleheader over #42 Rocky Ford (11-1. 16-0) last Friday, and 3A #51 Florence (15-4) on Tuesday. Orion Martinez drove in six runs in the four games, three of them against Buena Vista. He also stole five total bases, giving him 20 on the season. Kree Wallace racked up seven steals, four against BV, to push his season tally to 29, and he threw a five-hit shutout in game two against Rocky Ford. The Trojans head to #15 Crowley County for two on Saturday, before hosting Limon on Tuesday.
#8 ESTES PARK (9-4)
Estes Park dropped its third straight last Friday, 8-3 to Dawson School in the opener of a doubleheader, but bounced back to roll the Mustangs 24-1 in game two. The Bobcats hit eight doubles in that romp, three by Noah Webster. Webster and Cole Ingram had three RBI apiece. The Bobcats followed that with a big 3-0 win over 1A #1 Flatirons Academy on Tuesday. Leo Balduzzi and Caleb Sumner combined to hold the Bison to four hits in the shutout. Estes Park will host Front Range Christian for two on Saturday, #11 Lyons for one on Tuesday.
#9 DENVER CHRISTIAN (10-6)
Denver Christian put together three wins in the past week, sweeping a home-and-home against 3A #39 The Academy (9-2 and 18-8), and taking the road half of another home-and-home with 3A #25 Peak to Peak. Nate Bovasso gave up two unearned runs in the first game with The Academy, and then homered in the second meeting. Trey Speir had three RBI in that win. Tanner McCoy and Cuatro Wilkins had three hits apiece against Peak to Peak. The Thunder hosts Peak to Peak on Thursday, travels to Prospect Ridge Academy on Saturday, and goes to 3A #13 Kent Denver next Tuesday.
#10 BUENA VISTA (10-2)
Buena Vista suffered just its second loss of the season in last Wednesday’s 11-4 defeat by Las Animas. Carter Stromer notch his second home run of the season in that contest. The Demons bounced back to sweep Florence 16-0 and 20-7 on the road last Saturday Paul Gallardo limited the Huskies to one hit and struck out nine batters in the first contest, and Hudson Wingo collected three RBI. Jake Fahrney had four RBI in the second game, and Joe Bearss and Elio Ynfante drove in two runs apiece. As part of their tournament this weekend, the Demons host Rangely and Rye on Friday, and Monte Vista on Saturday. Buena Vista also travels to 3A #27 Centauri on Tuesday.
MileHigh Prep Report 