U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY – When Jeremiah Hernandez bounced an RBI single off third base, Pueblo County’s championship breakthrough started to feel inevitable.

The No. 5 Hornets rolled to their first ever state title with a 9-4 win in the Class 4A baseball state championship game over No. 3 Falcon on Saturday at Erdle Field.

After what felt like a heavy diet of curveballs all game, Jeremiah Hernandez finally found a pitch with spin breaking into the zone.

“We knew we had to keep going because the game is not over until it’s over,” he said. “But at that moment, I felt really confident.”

Confidence born from the effort of starter Blake Swift (8-2). The senior right-hander gave up four runs (three earned) on six hits, he walked three, hit two batters and fanned five. It was a redemption arc that was two years in the making.

Swift’s first-ever varsity appearance was in the 2024 4A championship game loss. On that day, Hornets coach Matt Eades told a talented sophomore class they’d find themselves in the same situation before their prep careers wrap.

“It came full circle today,” Eades said. “We set a goal from that point, after that loss, that we would get bigger, stronger and as a class we would do this.”

Aaron Jaquez had a run scored with two doubles and Ethan Gentz had two RBIs for the Falcons (22-6). Even after Falcon jumped out to a 1-0 first-inning lead on an error, Pueblo County pressured with deep counts and speed on the bases all game.

Nick Hernandez was 2-for-4 with three RBIs and Elijah Tafoya scored two runs and had an RBI triple for the Hornets.

In the first, Dillon Masset launched a leadoff double to deep left field. Masset’s hit one hopped inside third base and rattled around the left field corner and brought home Sol Montoya to even the game.

Falcon loaded the bases in the fourth on a walk, and with two outs, back to back hit batters. It was a rare bout of wildness for Swift, who issued just his 16th walk and hit his eighth and ninth HBPs of the season.

But he induced a slow roller ground out to shortstop Nick Hernandez who threw on the run and connected with his brother Jacob Hernandez at first base to end the threat.

“I knew my guys would make a play,” Swift said. “I just had to get it in the zone and keep doing what I always do.”

Pueblo County (23-6) loaded the bases in the sixth on a Masset walk, Myles Medina infield single and Tafoya HBP. Nick Hernandez also wore a curve ball between the numbers for an RBI and Pueblo County stretched its advantage to 5-1.

“We played clean, relied on Blake to get us outs and played good defense behind him,” Nick Hernandez said. “We knew we had to come out of the gate and score some runs to set the tone.”

The Hornets poured it on with four hits and five run sixth to open up a 9-1 lead. It’s the Hornets’ fifth overall state title and first since wrestling – which claimed consecutive crowns – in 2016 and 2017.

“I got to play with both my brothers this year and I grew up watching most of these guys play,” Jeremiah Hernandez said. “It’s a huge moment for us, for the school, for the team…for everyone.”