While the majority of Colorado's baseball teams waited out the weather, Bayfield battled temperatures in the mid-30s to low-40s last Saturday to host District 7 Tournament action, and got a no-hitter from junior Taed Heydinger and a two-hitter from junior Zane Phelps in return. Snow was shoveled off the diamond to make the games possible.
BHS also enjoyed a walk-off hit by senior Matthew Knickerbocker, gutting out a struggle versus food poisoning.
It aptly summarizes how badly the Wolverines want to play for a title, doesn't it?
Now 18-3 overall after eliminating 30-seed Trinidad and #14 Denver Sheridan, BHS has the chance to contend for a title against seven other squads in the 2015 CHSAA Class 3A state championship series. Their first test is against Greeley's University High School at 12:30 p.m. Friday at Niwot High School.
University's climb to the District 8 peak was much rockier than Bayfield's, with a 6-2 win over Bennett and an 8-4 defeat of Englewood Kent Denver. Tim Galindo's Bulldogs (15-6) will be well-prepared after playing the rugged Patriot League schedule and finishing in a three-way tie for second with Gilcrest Valley and Brush.
Sterling came next in the Patriot League pecking order-all four followed perennial powerhouse Eaton-and will also be chasing down the crown after conquering the District 5 Tournament. The Tigers will first face District 6 rulers Valley High School in a clash of 14-7 crews.
The winner will remain in Niwot to face Bayfield or University Friday afternoon. The losers of the two contests will square off for survival Saturday at Butch Butler Field in Greeley.
On the other side of the bracket, opening the tourney Friday in Greeley are District 1 kings Easton, Gunnison, D-3's best Brush (15-5) and D-4 champs Lafayette Peak to Peak (15-6). Going in at 17-3, GHS ousted La Junta-Bayfield's downfall in '14-by an 8-4 count in the District 2 finale, but will next engage Eaton in first-round play.
TRINIDAD 0, AT BAYFIELD 4: Issuing only a second-inning walk to designated hitter Malachi Baca, and a free pass in the third to leadoff hitter/shortstop Seth Crummer, Heydinger was otherwise perfect on the mound as the 3-seed Wolverines escaped the Round of 32 and finalized Trinidad's record at 6-14.
Heydinger struck out eight Miners, allowed only two fly-ball outs, threw out two runners himself, and got plenty of defense from second baseman Dillon Hoselton, who hosed five after fielding a variety of grounders.
THS starter Matt DeAngelis wasn't too bad on the mound either. Allowing just three hits while walking as many and fanning five, he retired 12 Wolverines consecutively and 14 of the final 15 he faced after the Intermountain League's elite built a 3-0 lead in two innings' work.
But junior Kelton McCoy, swinging one of 3A's hottest bats, interrupted DeAngelis' string at the most opportune time with a one-out solo home run to left in the bottom of the sixth. Heydinger then got Vance Ferraro and Darian Lujan to bounce to Hoselton and Lane Velarde to line to Phelps at third to sew up the win.
McCoy finished 1-2 with a sacrifice fly, a run and two RBI. Leadoff man Anthony Chamblee was 1-2 with a walk and an RBI, and scored the game's first run via McCoy's sacrifice. Knickerbocker was 0-2 with a walk, but did score a run in the Wolverines' first on a single to right by Brody McGhehey (1-3).
Hoselton (0-1) led off the bottom of the second hit by a pitch, took second on a comebacker to DeAngelis (L; CG, 6 IP) off 9-man Colter McMenimen's stick, and then scored on Chamblee's single up the middle.
DENVER SHERIDAN 0, AT BAYFIELD 10: Sheridan Coach Manuel Marquez had a difficult choice to make after using ace Donovan Contreraz against #19 Buena Vista's Trevor Close in a 3-0 win after the Bayfield-Trinidad game.
Contreraz had struck out an amazing 17 and walked just one in slinging a four-hitter. Daniel Villa got the call, but after being retired by Phelps as part of a 1-2-3 first, Villa gave up a single to Chamblee, a walk to Heydinger and a 2-RBI double to Knickerbocker (2-4, R, 3 RBI). Phelps then walked, McCoy (2-2, 2B, R, 2 RBI) smacked another SAC-fly and McGhehey singled. And after stealing second, McGhehey (2-3, 2 R, RBI) then swiped third and scored BHS' fifth run when catcher Micah Romero's throw zipped into left field.
Phelps (W; CG, 5 IP, 2 BB, HB, 3 K) then worked out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the top of the second, got two more runs of support off Noah Loutherback's stick in the bottom of the third, and spectators sensed a mercy-rule victory was close at hand.
With Sheridan (14-7) trailing 9-0 in the bottom of the fifth, Contreraz was summoned to the hill after Villa (L; 4.1 IP, 10 H, 10 R, 8 ER, 5 BB, HB, 4 K) left with Hoselton at third, Chamblee at first and just one out. Chamblee (2-3) stole second before Contreraz got Heydinger (1-3, BB, 2 R) to pop to Villa at short for Out #2.
Knickerbocker then singled to left-center, plating Hoselton and starting a celebratory dog-pile at home plate.
