DENVER – 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.
“It felt great,” Smith said. “Ever since I came over here, they keep talking trash to me, but I don’t really hear it. Just keep it pushing, you know?”
The reigning state champions entered the bottom of the seventh inning down 3-2. A pair of singles kicked off the rally for the No. 2 Bruins, followed by an intentional walk to load the bases. Lucas Schultz was hit in the ankle to tie the game, then Smith won it in walk-off fashion.
It was a swift response to heroics from the No. 6 Raiders, who picked up one run in the top of the sixth from senior pitch hitter Isak Stevenson. It was a short moment of offense after a slow start by both teams, who were scoreless except for runs exchanged in the third.
Regis broke the scoreless tie in the top of the frame on a double from Christian Lopez, then Hudson Alpert brought him around with a single. It didn’t take long for Creek to respond, however, with Connor Larkin blasting a no-doubt home run that nearly landed on I-25. On the very next pitch, Mason Scott went back-to-back to tie the game.
It was the second time Creek has topped Regis this season, building on a 2-1 victory from March, and it sets the stage for the Bruins to potentially return to the state championship game. Last year, Regis was in control after the first weekend of the state tournament. The Raiders went 3-0 on that first weekend, ending up in the driver’s seat with a 3-0 victory over the Bruins. Cherry Creek responded with a pair of victories over the Raiders on the final Saturday of the season to win the state championship.
The year, Regis reached the second game of the day by hammering No. 3 Arvada West 11-5, powered by a three-run home run for Jace Filleman. Creek topped Rocky Mountain thanks to a complete game, two-hit shutout for Wyatt Rudden, who struck out 15 batters with just two walks.
The Bruins will take on top-seeded Grandview 2 p.m. Saturday at All Star Park, weather permitting.
The top-seeded Wolves stayed in the winner’s bracket with a 5-4 win over No. 5 Broomfield.
Grandview fell behind 3-0 in the top of the first but responded to five runs across the next four innings. Matthew Schimberg doubled twice for the Wolves.
Earlier in the morning, Broomfield reached the afternoon game by upsetting No. 4 Fossil Ridge 5-2, scoring four runs in the top of the fourth to overcome an early deficit. Grandview got by No. 8 Castle View 5-2. The Sabercats plated a pair of runs in the top of the first inning and led until the bottom of the sixth, when the Wolves plated four runs on hits from Justin Dean and AJ Maroni.
