GREELEY – The offense that powered the Bayfield High School baseball team all season sputtered at the worst possible time.
BHS failed to score a run for the only time all season in its final game, a 2-0 loss to Valley on Saturday in Greeley in the CHSAA Class 3A state tournament.
The Wolverines left five runners on base after scattering five hits in the game.
“We had opportunities in both games to scratch a run or two across on several occasions and couldn’t get it done,” BHS head coach Jonathon Qualls said.
BHS (18-5) lost its opener 5-4 to University in a two-day extra-inning affair that was delayed three times because of weather.
The Wolverines’ best chance Monday came in the top of the fifth inning. Noah Loutherback led it off with a single, and Dillon Hoselton followed with his own single after confusion in the Valley infield left no one covering first.
Colter McMenimen struck out, one of 10 for Valley pitcher Carter Chacon, followed by an Anthony Chamblee popout.
Taed Heydinger, Bayfield’s starting pitcher, singled to load the bases. That brought up Matthew Knickerbocker for the Wolverines, but he grounded out to end the threat.
“I just wanted to put the ball in play low, get a ground ball through the infield,” said Knickerbocker, son of Kirk and Marie Knickerbocker. “It didn’t really go my way there.”
The Wolverines also put runners on in the sixth and seventh innings on singles, but the fifth was their golden opportunity.
“I believe that was the spot we needed to execute the most,” said Hoselton, son of Rick and Stephanie Hoselton. “We didn’t execute at the right time, and it cost us.”
Valley (15-8), conversely, took advantage of its best shot.
Cesar Mercado started the inning with a walk before Payton Chacon drove him in with a double. Carter Chacon then blasted a triple to score Payton Chacon for what proved to be the final margin.
“It was good high school baseball game, pitcher’s duel,” said Valley acting head coach Randy Kern. “Bayfield’s kid was throwing strikes. We stepped up there in that inning and were lucky enough to get a couple good shots up there.”
Valley head coach Steve Kissler was ejected in the team’s opening game of the tournament and was suspended for the Vikings’ second game.
Heydinger struck out seven in his seven innings of work.
“You couldn’t ask for anything more out of a starting pitcher,” Qualls said. “Even two runs, you expect to win 95 percent of those games if you hold them to two runs.”
BHS will lose five seniors to graduation – Chamblee, Ryan Heck, Hoselton, Knickerbocker and McMenimen – but will bring back a core group of juniors that has seen the state tournament twice.
“We’ve got a good group returning next year,” Qualls said. “I look to be up here again next year. Time will tell.”
kgrabowski@durangoherald.com
