Bayfield High School hadn’t lost a baseball game since March 21.
Faith Christian, however, had the bats to match the Wolverines’ game.
The Eagles rallied, scoring five runs in the sixth inning before holding off a Wolverines’ rally to top BHS 9-8 in the second round of the CHSAA Class 3A Boys Baseball State Championships on Friday in Greeley.
The Wolverines topped Brush 16-2 in their opening game, backing solid pitching with a couple of big innings to start off the double-elimination tournament.
Third-seeded Bayfield (20-3) continued its run of strong starts, tallying three times in the first inning against the second-seeded Eagles (19-3), which typically would be enough for BHS ace Clay Miller. But the Eagles rallied to trim the lead to 3-2 after four innings.
The Wolverines pushed the lead back out to 6-2 in the top of the fifth, only to see Faith Christian rally to within 6-4 in the bottom of the frame.
Then, the Eagles busted out the big sticks, chasing Miller, who uncharacteristically was touched up for six runs in five-plus innings, and tying the game at 6.
Faith Christian would tally three more in the frame off reliever and losing pitcher Matthew Knickerbocker, and although Bayfield scored twice in the top of the seventh – Miller’s double plated Knickerbocker (3-1), followed by Miller scoring on a balk.
It wasn’t enough to stave off defeat.
Miller threw five innings, allowing six runs on seven hits with 10 strikeouts and a walk. Knickerbocker allowed three runs on two hits and a walk in one inning.
Offensively, Miller was 3-for-4 with three doubles, three runs scored and two driven in in the nightcap, while Knickerbocker also was 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles, two runs scored and an RBI.
Hunter Funkhouser (4-0) threw five strong innings to pick up the victory in Game 1 against Brush, striking out 12 while allowing just two runs for Bayfield. Darren Hoselton threw two scoreless innings in relief to help the Wolverines pick up their 17th consecutive victory.
Bayfield scored three times in the first inning, twice in the third, five times in the fifth and added six more runs in the seventh to emphatically seal the deal against the sixth-seeded Beetdiggers.
Zane Phelps went 4-for-5 and drove in a pair of runs, while Knickerbocker and Miller each went 2-for-3 with three runs scored. Miller also homered.
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