PUEBLO – The improbable run for the Holyoke High School baseball team is still alive and well.
Just two years removed from going winless in a season 0-15, the Dragons are two wins away from winning the Class 2A state championship.
Holyoke kept its dream season going by upsetting Buena Vista 4-3 in the Class 2A quarterfinals Friday night at Andenucio Field at the Runyon Sports Complex.
“It has been a wild ride,” Holyoke coach Jimmy French said. “I think the biggest difference is we are not a young team anymore. Even when we weren’t winning games, they were putting in the work and getting better every day. It is finally paying off. We have depth this year and people up and down the lineup contributing. It is a testament to the kids and their hard work and character that they kept working when things weren’t going well and turned it all around.”
The Dragons (16-6) advanced to face top-seeded and reigning back-to-back state champs Limon (22-4) at 12:30 p.m. Saturday at Andenucio Field. Limon defeated Holyoke 7-5 on May 13.
Trailing 1-0, the Dragons benefitted from a series of weird events in the third frame. BV hurler Caleb Camp struck out Reid Sprague to apparently end the inning, but catcher Walter Molitor dropped the third strike. Molitor then fired over the first baseman’s head and then the throw back into the infield went past third and out of play allowing Sprague to jog home and tie the game.
BV’s Zandon Mitchell led off the bottom of the third by getting hit by a pitch from Tyson Mosenteen and then stole second, and with one out stole third and scored on a wild pitch to give the Demons a 2-1 edge.
However, the Dragons answered again in the fourth. Cash Weber led off with a single and scored on a triple by Wyatt Sprague to knot the game at 2-2. Caiden Krueger – on safety squeeze – pushed a grounder to third base and scored Sprague to give the Dragons their first lead at 3-2.
In the top of the sixth, Mosenteen walked and then Weber sliced a single over first base to put runners on first and third. With two outs, Angel Carrasco hit a grounder to second baseman Haden Camp who mishandled the ball allowing Monsenteen to score and put the Dragons up 4-2.
Holyoke hurler Mosenteen battled through a roller-coaster outing, pitching 5 2/3 innings, giving up two earned runs, four hits, striking eight, walking six and hitting three batters.
“It was crazy,” said Mosenteen, who reached his 110-pitch limit. “I knew my team had my back and this was a great win for the team.”
Sprague came in relief for the Dragons and struck out Otto Rizzi looking in to end the sixth and then the Demons got with 4-3 in the seventh before he fanned Kaden Schell to end the game and get the save.
“I knew I needed to finish the game and I trusted my team and threw strikes,” Sprague said. “It is wild going from winless to this, but it feels good. We worked hard all season, and we deserve this.”
Buena Vista southpaw pitcher Caleb Camp had a strong effort throwing seven innings, striking out 13 batters and giving up four runs and five hits. He was hurt by five errors by the Demons. BV batters were also 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position and left nine runners on base.
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(3) Denver Christian 3, Del Norte 1.
Denver Christian pitcher Mason Reilly fired a complete-game one-hitter, while striking out 14 batters to lead the Thunder to win.
Asher Hawes paced DC offensively going 3-for-3 at the plate, including a first inning home run. Caleb Stork and Ari Waanders also added an RBI each for the Thunder.
Denver Christian jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning and Del Norte got within 2-1 when Ben Parra scored on Nickolas Atencio’s triple. The Thunder added a run in the bottom of the sixth to secure the win.
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(2) Peyton 8, (10) St. Mary’s 2.
Peyton smacked out 12 hits on the way to its quarterfinal triumph.
Bryce Love led the hit parade for the Panthers with three base hits and an RBI. AJ Kranz had two hits, including a two-run homer in the first inning.
Hurler Logan Nickell picked up the win for Peyton, tossing six innings of five-hit ball, while striking out 11.
Ryan Strub and Garrett Klein had two hits each in the loss for St. Mary’s.
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(1)Limon 6, (9) Burlington 1.
The perennial powerful Limon Badgers flexed their muscles coming away with the win over the Cougars.
The Badgers started off with two runs in the bottom of the first frame, thanks to three hits and never looked back.
Limon pitcher Keon Bandy went 6.2 innings to pick up the win giving up just one run and two hits. Burlington’s Dominic Conrardy had a double and Gabe Roybal a single in defeat.
