Durango picked the absolute perfect time for its first victory over Montrose this season.
The Durango High School baseball team advanced to the final four of the CHSAA Class 4A Baseball State Championships with a wild, come-from-behind 9-8 win over Southwestern League foe Montrose on Saturday in Lakewood.
The No. 5 Demons (13-11) trailed the Indians 6-2 in the middle of the fourth inning of the elimination game. DHS, however, scored five times in the bottom of the inning to take a 7-6 lead, only to see No. 2 Montrose (20-4) scratch across solo runs in the fifth and the seventh to take an 8-7 lead.
DHS then mounted a season-saving rally. Isiah Mayberry doubled past a diving right fielder, and Cole Dunegan singled two batters later to put runners at the corners. Sean Blanchard drove in Mayberry with a single to tie the game, then Tyler Worley hit a shot over the center-fielder’s head to bring home the winning run.
“It feels outstanding,” DHS head coach Rob Coddington said of the team’s first final four appearance since 1996, when the Demons won the state title. “I think these kids, it’s one of the best games they’ve played all year.”
Dayne Rowley, a sophomore, threw six innings for Durango, allowing eight earned runs on 12 hits while striking out one and walking just three after DHS walked 11 in a loss to Pueblo West on Friday. And freshman Lawrence Mayberry threw a scoreless seventh to pick up the win in relief.
The two pitchers had combined to throw just 14 2/3 innings heading into the weekend.
“Dayne Rowley bent a few times, but he never broke. That was what was so great. He just kept coming after people,” Coddington said. “In the fifth, sixth, seventh innings, he’d come into the dugout and say, ‘Coach, I can do it. Coach, I’m good.’ With that kind of confidence, I’ve got to let that kid roll.”
Coddington credited a strong defensive effort, paced by two strong plays by second baseman Ty Elliott to cut down runners at home, and timely hitting for backing the bend-but-don’t-break pitching effort.
Blake Dunlap, despite playing with what Coddington said was a pulled groin, went 4-for-4, doubled three times and drove in three runs for DHS. Casey Dunlap was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBIs, and Isiah Mayberry was 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles.
Dunegan and Worley each were 2-for-4 for DHS.
“The kids just battled the whole time. Even when we were down 6-2, they never quit,” Coddington said.
Montrose, which had to win earlier in the day just to reach the Durango game, claimed the SWL title and 14-10 and 8-5 wins over DHS earlier this year, but it’s the Demons rolling on to the state tournament’s final weekend. They’ll play Valor Christian in a rematch of April’s 11-10 Eagles’ victory at noon Friday in Lakewood.
heraldsports@durangoherald.com
Rockies rumpus
This is Tyler Chatwood’s second stint with the Rockies this season. He went 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA in two starts earlier this season before returning to Triple-A. ... Rockies OF Michael Cuddyer said he doubts his neck will bother him again this season after getting an epidural that relieved pain and stiffness. He returned to throwing and taking batting practice Saturday. ... The Giants and Rockies will wrap up their four-game series today with LHP Barry Zito (3-2) and RHP Juan Nicasio (3-1) squaring off.
