University topples Eaton to reach 3A baseball state title game

GREELEY – The juice boxes are flowing for University.

A day after trying to generate what he calls “juice plays” and making some self-admitted mishaps, University baseball coach Casey Miller pressed all the right buttons to bring a spark to his team.

And the players didn’t do a bad job of providing the juice themselves.

The Bulldogs burst for 17 runs in the bottom of the third inning, highlighted by a Damian Alvarez grand slam, to punch a ticket to the John Haefeli Class 3A baseball state championship game or games.

They beat Eaton 19-2 in a game that had the University fans rejoicing and the Eaton fans looking on in stunned silence.

Taking down the preeminent baseball powerhouse in the state with a mercy rule in the state doesn’t happen often. University might keep the game ball on display somewhere, but knowing the work is far from over, the goal is to (temporarily) forget Saturday’s win as quickly as possible.

“Right away, honestly,” senior pitcher Joel Ramirez said. “We come back Tuesday, not Monday because of Memorial Day, but Tuesday we’ll have a short practice; a championship-like practice and we’ll get back to it.”

Ramirez was solid on the mound going for four innings and giving up just five hits and two earned runs.

The context of Saturday’s win looms larger than what the Bulldogs (26-2 overall) are allowing. The energy in the dugout went up in the bottom of the first when Gage Viken hit a grounder to short that scored Alvarez to get University on the board. Brody Duran then lined out to second base, but when trying to double up Viken on first, one of five Eaton errors brought home Derek Casillas.

Alvarez singled in the third for the only University hit of the inning, but the Eaton kept anyone from crossing the plate.

Then in the third, the dam broke.

Duran reached on an error that scored Ramirez. Jackson Belt singled to score Viken and Duran and then the next 15 hitters in a row reached base safely and the lead continued to build.

With the bases loaded and still just one out, Alvarez launched a ball into the parking lot beyond the left field wall. Ball fly far, crowd get loud.

“You never want to let off no matter what the score is,” Alvarez said. “Rallying together as a team felt pretty good and then I just put a good swing on that ball and it went out.”

The last time the Bulldogs had an offensive output like this, it was in the state championship game in 2018. They beat Lamar 21-2.

“That’s just one of those things that doesn’t happen very often,” Miller said. “It was later in the tournament, they ran out of pitching and we had some hot barrels. That’s the only time something like that happens.”

That’s not far off from how things played out on Saturday. Having thrown Gunnar Garrison on Friday, the Reds had to work by committee. The good news on their front is the loss doesn’t eliminate them and they’re still just one win away from getting a rematch with the Bulldogs for the state title.

Eaton will meet the winner of D’Evelyn and TCA on Friday at Butch Butler Field.

As for University, a big win on the Saturday of the first weekend of the state tournament is a big boost to its confidence. But history says nothing will come easy next weekend when championship hardware is on the line.

“I’ve been on the other end of this way too many times,” Miller said. “I know what it feels like and I know how hard you press to get ready for the next weekend. It’s an absolute grind taking second every year. I know what [Eaton] is going through. I’ve lived it too much. I just have to push our guys that much harder this week.”

University won’t take the field again until Saturday. And when the Bulldogs trot out there, they’ll be just one win away from their first state title since 2019.

Viken said on Friday that hungry dogs run faster. These Bulldogs are ready to sprint.