CLASS 3A BASEBALL REPORT – STATE PREVIEW
BY: KERRY SHERMAN
The postseason field in 3A has been whittled down to just eight teams, and by the end of the day on Saturday that number will be cut in half. The first round games will be played on Friday at Butch Butler Field and University High School in Greeley. The first and second rounds of the consolation bracket, as well as the second round of the championship bracket will be played on Saturday. University will always play at Butch Butler Field in the first weekend to ensure a neutral field. Games are listed in bracket order.
#1 UNIVERSITY (23-2) VS #8 WELLINGTON (15-10) 9:30AM BUTCH BUTLER FIELD
Last year’s runner-up, University, began its postseason run with a 14-1 defeat of Lincoln in the Region One semifinal last Saturday. After putting up three runs in the first, the Bulldogs blew things wide open with a seven-spot in the second. Brody Dunn and Gage Viken had three RBI apiece in the run rule victory, and Derek Casillas allowed one earned run on one hit in five innings on the hill. The regional final was a lot more intense, as the Bulldogs trailed Resurrection Christian 5-1 entering the bottom of the fifth. They would score one in that frame, and then take the lead with four in the sixth. University held on for the 6-5 win. Viken had a double and two RBI, and Joel Ramirez earned the win with three innings of scoreless, hit-less ball in relief of Viken.
Wellington had quite a run as the underdog in Region Six, as the Eagles came in as the 22nd seed in the field of 32. They began things by beating #11 Sterling 6-5 in the semifinal, with the winning run scoring in the top of the sixth. Tanner Gray drove in two runs, and Owen Gabbert scored two to go with two stolen bases. That win earned the Eagles a showdown with the #6 seed, Prospect Ridge Academy, for the trip to state. Wellington got a complete game one-hitter from Nate Blehm in the 4-0 decision. He only needed 79 pitches to get the job done.
This sets up a rematch from March 31st, when University picked up a 10-2 victory over Wellington. Viken had three RBI for the Bulldogs, and Casillas gave up two unearned runs in five innings to get the win. Gabbert had the only RBI for Wellington, getting it on a sac fly.
#4 THE CLASSICAL ACADEMY (18-6) VS #5 DELTA (17-8) 12PM BUTCH BUTLER FIELD
With an upset in Region Four, TCA moved up one spot in the state bracket by winning the championship in Region Five. The Titans took a 5-0 win over #28 Woodland Park in the semifinal, as Ezekiel Kimmig, Luke Cupples, and Levi Tisthammer combined for a one-hit shutout. CJ Mullen had two hits, a run batted in, and three stolen bases. In the regional championship game, TCA trailed #12 Alamosa 3-2 going into the bottom of the fifth, where the Titans took a 7-3 lead with a five-spot. They went on to take a 9-3 win. George Frillman and Mason Parker scored two runs apiece, and Cooper Finn drove two home.
Thanks to two regional upsets, Delta climbed two spots in the state bracket. The Panthers run ruled Valley 13-3 in the semifinal, with Landon Kennell homering and driving in two. Deacon Shean added a double and two RBI. Shean also had two stolen bases. Delta got its third win in ten days over Coal Ridge, beating the Titans 9-0. Mack Lockhart hit a three-run blast, and Jhett Ryan added a solo shot to power the offense. That was more than enough for Kennell, who scattered seven hits while striking out 13 in 6.1 innings.
TCA claimed a 14-5 win over Delta in early April, with the Titans scoring five in the fifth and six in the sixth. Chase Rorabaugh and Carter Patrick had three RBI apiece for TCA in the contest. Lockhart and Alex Mack drove in a run apiece.
The only potential rematch in the second round would be University and Delta, who played twice in tournament action. The Bulldogs won the first of those 15-0, with Ramirez tossing a four-inning two-hitter. He also collected four RBI at the plate. Kennell and Ryan each had a single for the Panthers. The second match-up came two weeks later, with University grabbing a 6-0 win. Viken got the victory with a complete game five-hit shutout. Ryan had two of those hits for Delta.
#3 MONTEZUMA-CORTEZ (20-5) VS #6 D’EVELYN (18-7) 12PM UNIVERSITY HIGH SCHOOL
Montezuma-Cortez run ruled both of its opponents in Region Three, starting with a 14-4 victory over #30 Berthoud. The Panthers scored two in the bottom of the sixth to finish with a walk-off. Cory Carver hit two of the team’s five doubles in the game, and Jaris McDonald drove in three runs. Parker Conrad added a double and two RBI. The championship game saw the Panthers take a third win of the season over Pagosa Springs, this one 13-0 in five innings. McDonald allowed two hits, both singles, in the shutout. McDonald, Conrad, and Brennen Powell had two RBI apiece.
D’Evelyn rolled to a 10-0 over #25 La Junta in the semifinal of Region Eight, putting the Panthers into the championship game. That gave them a match-up against Colorado Academy, the #9 seed in the regional field. The teams were tied at 3-all through three, but Colorado Academy took the lead with a single tally in the fourth. D’Evelyn took the lead with three in the sixth, only to see the Mustangs get one back in the bottom of the frame. The Panthers got a big insurance run in the seventh, which proved to be the winner, as Colorado Academy scored one in the bottom half, but could not get the equalizer. The 7-6 win sent D’Evelyn to the state field. Leo Vigil had three hits, including a double, and drove in three runs. Jacob Seda added two hits and two runs scored.
Montezuma-Cortez and D’Evelyn did not meet up in the regular season. The two have not played during the MaxPreps era.
#2 EATON (21-3) VS #7 ELIZABETH (18-7) 9:30AM UNIVERSITY HIGH SCHOOL
Eaton saw a familiar face in the semifinals of Region Two, as the Fightin’ Reds faced Manitou Springs for the second time this season. Following a 9-1 win over the Mustangs about three weeks earlier, Eaton got a one-hit shutout from Austin Edelmon in a 7-0 victory. Chase Schmidt hit a two-run double, and the Fightin’ Reds had two stolen bases each from Greyson Clingan, Everett Edinger, and Jackson Dennoy. Eaton had a much tougher go of things in the regional final, as they trailed Peak to Peak 3-1 going to the bottom of the sixth. A single run in that frame made in a one-run game going to the seventh. After putting up a zero defensively, the Fightin’ Reds got the walk-off with two in the bottom half. Malaki Dalpra hit a solo shot, and Shane Welle got the win recorded the final two outs to get the win in relief of the starter, Gunnar Garrison. Garrison struck out 13 in 6.1 innings.
Elizabeth put two runs up in the third inning of its Region Four semifinal against #20 Liberty Common, and made it stand up for a 3-1 victory. Walker Blanchard and Cole Robinson each plated a run in support of Brody Aldridge. Aldridge gave up one earned run on five hits in his complete game victory. The regional final was another tight one, with the Cardinals collecting a 5-4 win over #4 Aspen. They trailed 4-0 after three, but scored three in the fourth and two more in the fifth to grab the lead for good. Blanchard homered and drove in three in the upset. Ozzy Santangelo got the win by allowing four earned on seven hits in seven innings.
This is the first meeting between Eaton and Elizabeth in the MaxPreps era.
There are no potential regular season rematches in the bottom half of the bracket in the second round. D’Evelyn last played Elizabeth in 2024, and has not played Eaton in the MaxPreps era. Montezuma-Cortez beat Eaton 9-5 in last year’s postseason, and also took an 11-6 win over Elizabeth in the regional final earlier in the tournament.
MileHigh Prep Report 