The state baseball tournaments officially began on Friday with 24 games being played out to establish semifinal matchups. Find photo galleries from select games below.

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Class 5A

(Matt Meyer)

The rivalry is between Cherry Creek is always heated, but it’s particularly warm for Tyce Smith.

The junior started his career with the Raiders as a freshman before changing to the Bruins the following season. On Saturday at All City Field, he endured ample trash talk from Regis fans — both kids and adults.

But Smith got the last laugh as his sacrifice fly into left field in the bottom of the seventh inning sent the Bruins to a 4-3 victory. It kicked off an emotional celebration directed at least in part toward the Raiders’ dugout and stands, one of many charged moments between the last year’s state finalists.

Read Matt Meyer’s full story here.

Photos:

(Steve Abeyta/steveabeytaphotography.com)

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Class 4A

(Marcus Hill/The Gazette)


From top to bottom, the Golden lineup is dangerous.

There’s not a standout player for which other teams can game plan. Instead, there’s a cohesive lineup that grinds out at-bats, wears out opponents pitchers and stresses out defenses.

When Luca Casali laced a 2-RBI triple to straight away center field as part of a big fourth inning, two-out rally in Golden’s 13-6 win Class 4A baseball second-round win against Falcon at UCCS on Friday afternoon, it typified the Demons’ offensive attack.

Read James Noke’s full story here.

Photos:

(Andrew Rydland/AndrewRydlandPhotography.com)

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Class 3A

(Dan Mohrmann/ColoradoPreps.com)


A year ago, a crafty sophomore came out of the bullpen to steady University in its effort to get to the Class 3A baseball semifinal.

This year, Gage Viken, now a steady junior, wanted the ball from the start. And he showed why.

Viken threw a complete game, giving up just three hits and one earned run, all while striking out nine hitters to lead the Bulldogs to a 5-2 win over Resurrection Christian. The Bulldogs return to Butch Butler on Friday to take on Coal Ridge, who beat Delta to start the day then handed Eaton its first loss in the 3A state tournament since before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Read Dan Mohrmann’s full story here.

Photos:

(Paul Shepardson/paulshepardsonphotography.com)