CLASS 2A BASEBALL REPORT – CHAMPIONSHIP WEEKEND
BY: KERRY SHERMAN
The first weekend of the Class 2A state tournament was filled with drama. Four games were decided by one run, and two more by just two. Four teams remain in the hunt for a title, and we take a look at how they made it to the Final Four. All games will be played on Hobbs Field at the Runyon Complex in Pueblo.
#1 FORGE CHRISTIAN (26-2)
The Fury rolled to a 15-0 win over #8 Front Range Christian in the first round last Friday. They pushed three runs across the plate in the bottom on the first, four in the second, and then seven more in the third. Owen Carlson gave up one hit in four innings to get the victory. Carlson, Ben McLean, Carsen Hughes, Sam Buerck, and Jonah Boykin had two RBI apiece.
The offense remained on fire in the second round, where Forge Christian collected a 12-3 win against #5 Dayspring Christian. The Fury scored in all but the first inning, including five in the sixth. Forge Christian was aggressive on the paths, swiping 16 bases. McLean and Boykin took three each. McLean was also one of four players with two RBI, joining Buerck, Ivan Murphy, and Jake Stocker.
Saturday’s semifinal provided the long-awaited showdown between Forge Christian and #2 Monte Vista. The Pirates broke a scoreless tie with a run in the top of the fourth, and added one in the sixth. Forge Christian knotted the game with two in the bottom of the seventh, and the teams headed to extras. They would remain tied until the bottom of the 11th, when the Fury scored for the walk-off 3-2 victory.
Hughes racked up four hits, including a double, and also stole two bases. McLean came on in relief of Ben Harhager and worked six innings of one-hit ball to pick up the win. McLean punched out eight and walked one in his appearance.
The Fury qualified for the championship game with that victory and awaits the winner of the fourth consolation round contest, which features Monte Vista and the winner of the third consolation game between Yuma and Denver Christian. Forge Christian only needs to win one game on Saturday to lay claim to the title, while any of the other teams must beat them twice. The championship game is scheduled for 10am on Saturday.
#2 MONTE VISTA (25-1)
Monte Vista earned its way to the semifinal last weekend by picking up a pair of 6-1 victories. The Pirates ran out to a 6-0 lead over #7 Peyton in Friday’s opening round, scoring three in the second, one in the third, and two in the fifth. Peyton got on the board in the sixth, but that was all Monte Vista would allow. Landon Sanchez allowed one unearned run on three hits in the complete game victory. He struck out nine and walked one. Michael Hensley sparked the offense with two doubles and two RBI. Chayse Bouet stole two bases and scored two runs.
In the second round against #6 Limon, the Pirates opened the scoring with five runs in the fourth, which was more than enough support for Kobe Jiron, who allowed one earned run on three hits in picking up the complete game win. Jiron stuck out five, walked one, and only threw 75 pitches. Hensley had two more RBI.
Manny Jiron and Judah Howe each drove in a run in the semifinal game against Forge Christian, with Howe’s coming on a double. Those two combined to work 10 innings, striking out 11. Jiron took the loss by giving up one run in 3.1 frames.
Monte Vista will await the winner of Yuma and Denver Christian in the fourth consolation round at 12:30pm on Friday. The winner of that will advance to the championship game against Forge Christian.
#3 YUMA (23-5)
The Outlaws had their 15-game winning streak snapped in the first round, as they lost a 6-5 decision to Limon. Yuma had beaten the Badgers 4-3 in the regular season. Christian Thomson had a triple and an RBI in the rematch. Reyli Trejo and Alex Pensado also had an RBI apiece. Jesus Rodriguez collected three hits, including a double. Brodie Kallweit took the loss after allowing six runs (four earned) on 11 hits in seven innings.
The loss dropped Yuma into the consolation bracket, where the Outlaws faced Peyton in an elimination game. Yuma took the lead with three runs in the second, and would eventually lead 11-6 through six. Peyton struck for three in the seventh to get within two, but Yuma held on for the 11-9 victory. Rodriguez picked up three RBI, and Trejo, who had three hits, drove in two runs. Lennox Huwa also had three hits, while also adding three stolen bases and three runs.
Yuma had a third straight tight game in the second consolation round, as the Outlaws met up with Dayspring Christian. Yuma trailed 2-1 after one, but went on top with a three-run third. They pushed out to a 6-2 advantage through five, but the Eagles went up 7-6 with five in the sixth. Yuma got the equalizer in the bottom of the frame, only to see DCA take an 8-7 lead in the seventh. The Outlaws plated two in the bottom of the seventh for the 9-8 walk-off.
Huwa, Stevie Seward, and Jose Ross scored two runs apiece, and Rodriguez drove in two. The Outlaws used four pitchers to get through the contest, with Ty Weathers working the final two-thirds of an inning to get the win. He gave up one hit.
#4 DENVER CHRISTIAN (19-9)
Denver Christian also lost its first round game last Friday, with the Thunder falling to Dayspring Christian by a 6-2 count. After scoring two in the third to get the lead, the Thunder gave up three in the fifth and three more in the seventh to fall into the consolation bracket. Cuatro Wilkins drove in both runs for Denver Christian. Nate Bovasso was tagged for six earned runs on 11 hits in 6.2 innings to take the loss.
The Thunder bounced back in the first consolation round, scoring a 6-4 victory over Front Range Christian. It was a thriller, as Denver Christian outlasted the Falcons by outscoring them 5-3, breaking a 4-4 tie with two in the bottom of the sixth to pull out the win. Elijah Whitfield and Thjis VanderGriend both had two hits and two RBI in the win. Trey Speir scored twice.
In another elimination game, the Thunder walked-off Limon 5-4 to stay in the tournament. Limon led 2-0 heading to the bottom of the fourth, where the Thunder scored three to go on top. Limon countered with another two-run frame, taking the lead 4-3 in the fifth. After getting the tying run in the bottom half of the inning, Denver Christian would get the winner with one out in the bottom of the seventh.
Denver Christian was held to four hits, with Speir and VanderGriend each recording a double. Speir and A.J. Lucero each had two RBI, and Bovasso scored a pair of runs. Charlie Davy got the win with one scoreless frame. He struck out two of the three batters he faced.
Denver Christian and Yuma meet in the third consolation round at 10am on Friday, with the winner advancing to face Monte Vista in the fourth round. The loser sees its season come to a close.
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