Talk about draining the batteries..
Having threatened to spring a Senior Day upset at Wolverine Field in Game 1 of last Saturday's non-league doubleheader, forcing Bayfield to scrape together two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning, Sargent had virtually nothing left for-and then in-Game 2.
Because with the exception of two beanballs, allowing junior Christian Schaller and senior Dylan Brandt to reach base, BHS' Andrew Morgan gave them nothing as the home team closed out the 2017 regular season in style.
Throwing only 63 pitches while facing just the two Farmers more than the minimum through five frames, the sophomore righthander finished with a reported five strikeouts, zero bases-on-balls and zero hits allowed as Bayfield followed up a 12-11 escape with a 15-0 domination.
Taking control immediately with five runs in the bottom of the first, the scoreboard outcome quickly became a non-issue when the Wolverines tacked on four in the second. Three more came across the plate in the third and three followed suit in the fourth to end the afternoon early after SHS couldn't spoil the no-hitter.
And unfortunately for SHS (9-10 overall), Bayfield, as in the opener, again boasted plenty of offense.
Senior Fred Edwards doubled twice and plated three as part of a 3-for-3 effort, and also scored three times. Senior Austin Bushnell (one run) and sophomore Jake Brandon (three) each went 2-3, with Bushnell doubling once and logging two RBI.
Sophomore Hub Brandon drove in three runs while going 2-2, and sophomore Max McGhehey - returning to action after battling a lingering hip problem - drew three walks while going 0-1 with two runs and an RBI.
Sophomore Rhett Hoover went 4-for-5 with a double, two runs and two RBI to lead the bat attack in Game 1, when the 2A Southern Peaks League contenders seemingly matched the 3A Intermountain League champs' production in each half-inning.
But when Sargent blew up for five runs-little knowing they'd be their last-in the top of the fifth and Bayfield (14-5, 9-1 IML) managed just one in reply, every plate appearance became crucial during and after a mutually-scoreless sixth and the visitors' seventh.
Bushnell finished the test 3-3 with a double, two walks, two runs and a ribbie, and Edwards went 2-5 with two runs. Sophomore Alec Demko went 2-3 with a run, and Jake Brandon and senior Tyler Conner were each credited with two RBI.
Sophomore Hayden Farmer (3 IP, H, 5 R, ER, 2 BB, 7 K) earned the win in long relief, summoned to the hill after Jake Brandon (IP, H, 3 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 2 K) initially relieved Edwards (3 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 K).
Senior Justin Hacsi went 2-3 with a double, a walk and two runs for SHS. Senior Ty Harrison went 1-2 with two walks and scored three runs, and senior Esteban Aguilera went 1-2 with a walk, was plunked twice and scored twice.
WHAT'S NEXT: Bayfield will host the 3A-Region VI Tournament on Saturday, May 13.
As the 1-seed in a four-team bracket, the Wolverines will start off playing #4 Denver Science & Tech-Stapleton at 10 a.m. From the 3A/2A Frontier League, the Knights had not yet reported results from their final three regular-season games (before which they stood 9-6 overall) as of Wednesday morning.
Coming down from Loveland as Patriot League runners-up, 2-seed Resurrection Christian (12-5, 7-2 PL) will then square off against #3 Salida (13-6, 6-3 Tri-Peaks West) at around noon, with the winning teams then squaring off for the right to reach the tell-all, double-elimination "Great Eight" starting next Friday.
