(Alex McIntyre/Greeley Tribune)
Even though Eaton’s game today technically didn’t have the inherit pressure of an elimination game, the Reds still played with all the desperation one would expect from a team whose season is on the line.
Eaton — the second seed in the eight-team Class 3A state baseball tournament — grinded its way to a 2-1 win against top-seeded Lutheran in a semifinal game today at Frederick High School.
The Reds (20-1) will face No. 4 The Classical Academy (13-7) in the first of possibly two finals games at 10 a.m. Saturday in Frederick.
After today’s win against Lutheran (19-2), Eaton improved to 4-0 in the double-elimination tournament. With the Reds being the only team still unbeaten in the tournament, The Classical Academy would have to defeat Eaton twice Saturday — including in a second finals game at 12:30 p.m. — to wrestle the title from the Reds’ firm grasp.
Eaton needs to win just once Saturday to add on to their state record 11 state baseball championships.
And, just like the approach toward today’s semifinals game, the Reds will look to secure that one win in just one game Saturday.
“It’s been the same intensity all year; we ramped it up this game,” said Eaton senior pitcher Ryan Ure, who will pitch for Oklahoma State University next year. “We came out here wanting to win. We never want to lose. So, we were ready.”
Ure’s focus level on the mound showed signs from the get-go of the Reds’ intention to play today’s game as if it were must-win.
In a 113-pitch, six-inning outing, he allowed just one earned run on three hits, striking out 10 and walking three.
Arguably the biggest surprise of the state tournament’s final four kept its Cinderella story alive for at least another game, as fourth-seeded The Classical Academy edged No. 3 Faith Christian 5-4 today in the other semifinal game.
The Titans upset top-seeded Lutheran 12-2 in the second round of the tournament June 18 before taking a late lead but faltering in the last 1 1/2 innings to lose to second-seeded Eaton 11-10 in the third round this past Sunday.
TCA didn’t allow today’s semifinals game to slip away in similar fashion, despite some tense moments late in the game.
The Titans erased an early 2-0 deficit with three runs in the bottom of the third. TCA then tacked on a pair of runs in the sixth. Those insurance runs would prove critical moments later.
Trailing 5-2 heading into the final inning, Faith Christian scored a pair of runs to pull within 1 but was ultimately denied the late-game comeback.