Two poor innings were the difference between Durango High School baseball’s state title hopes and its season ending, and the Demons’ season is over after an 8-3 loss to Palisade on Saturday in the 4A state tournament.
Durango entered the state tournament on Friday as the No. 2 seed in the bracket, but after leading No. 7 Holy Family 3-1, the Demons allowed six runs in the fifth inning and lost 10-6.
The Demons started Saturday at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs with a quality bounce-back effort in the consolation bracket, beating No. 2 Canon City, 2-1. That win led a rematch with league-rival Palisade in the second round of the consolation bracket. The Bulldogs beat the Demons twice in the regular season, earning the No. 1 seed in the state tournament.
But once again, Durango allowed six runs in an inning, this time the third, allowing Palisade to take control of the game and advance.
Durango finished its season 19-9 overall. The 19 wins are the most for the program in at least 15 years. Palisade improved to 24-4 overall and moved on to the consolation third round to face No. 8 Ponderosa.
In Game 1 against Canon City, the Tigers struck first with a run in the first inning, but Durango responded with a run in the second. The Demons scored the winning run in the fifth and shut out Canon City the rest of the game, despite being outhit by the Tigers, 5-4.
Juniors Grady Feeney and Duncan Walsh, along with seniors Landin “Bubba” Padilla and senior Austin Romero, each had a hit for the Demons. Junior Coen Anderson pitched all seven innings for the Demons, finishing with four strikeouts.
Palisade started Game 2 by scoring two runs in the first inning, before scoring six in the third. Durango scored a run in the third, fourth and fifth innings, but couldn’t get back in the game despite outhitting Palisade, 10-8.
Feeney and Anderson finished 2-3 at bat against Palisade. Padilla went 2-4 and had a home run in his final high school game. Senior Cooper Mitchell pitched a little over two innings for the Demons, with five hits allowed, five runs and two strikeouts. Junior Jakob Maycock pitched over three innings for the Demons, finishing with one hit allowed and a strikeout.
Palisade’s Kian Kinslow led the Bulldogs at bat, going 2-3 with a home run. Junior Ethan Bevan pitched all seven innings, finishing with four strikeouts for Palisade.
Durango will have lots of holes to fill next season with 11 seniors leaving. However, the Demons have their starting pitcher, Anderson, coming back, along with other pitchers Maycock and Cole Clark. Catcher Duncan Walsh will be back, along with Feeney in the outfield.
bkelly@durangoherald.com
