Following a two-hour delay due to a CHSAA error in scheduling umpires, and a lengthy lightning delay that hit in the fifth inning, the Rifle Bears baseball team came up short Friday in the regional playoffs against host Skyview, dropping a 7-3 decision.
Rifle fell behind 3-0 after three innings of play before clawing back in the top of the fifth inning as the Bears pushed across two runs to make it 3-2 on a two-run single by senior Wyatt Warfel. The one-run game then went into the lightning delay, halting Rifle’s momentum.
Coming out of the delay, Skyview tacked on four more runs to pull away for the win, ending Rifle’s strong season early.
In the loss, junior Derek Wagler tripled and scored a run, extending his school record for triples in a season. Freshman Charlie Hisel doubled and scored a run.
The loss sees Rifle finish the season with a 14-9 record, including 6-6 in the 4A Western Slope League. The Bears say goodbye to seniors Gerardo Flores, Eddie Medina, Randy Starks, Jasmine Sandoval, and Warfel.
Golden 5, Glenwood Springs 2
Looking to exact revenge against Golden Friday afternoon, the Glenwood Springs Demons baseball team was bounced from the state playoffs for the second straight year by the Golden Demons, this time by a score of 5-2.
Glenwood knotted the game up at 2-2 in the fifth inning, but Golden responded with three runs in the bottom of the fifth, pulling away for the win.
Senior Kai Kanzer and junior Sam Fitzwilliams led the Demons with one run batted in each, while Kanzer led the team with two hits in the loss, one of which was his team-high 12th double of the season.
On the mound, senior Chano Gonzalez worked 5.1 innings, allowing five runs (two earned), while striking out eight and walking just two.
The loss sees Glenwood Springs finish the season with a 14-10 record, including 9-3 in the 4A Western Slope League. The Demons say goodbye to seniors Dylan Lee, Leon Anchondo, Tyler Dollahan, Ryan Welsh, Liam McMahon, Kanzer, and Gonzalez.