MORGAN COUNTY – Having seen a possible perfect game and an all-but-assured shutout stolen by a fourth-inning swing of Ignacio sophomore Jacob Gallegos’ bat, Wiggins junior Taryn Yzaguirre knew just how dangerous the Bobcat would be when he saw him again in the sixth inning Saturday afternoon.
Complicating matters, speedy leadoff Devante Montoya had drawn a walk, meaning a Gallegos hack like his one-out triple to deep left-center (Gallegos then scored on a wild relay throw) could halve the 2A-Region VIII Tournament hosts’ 6-1 lead and inspire the away side into upset mode.
But it wasn’t meant to be for IHS. Gallegos lashed another threatening drive to center, but WHS senior Toribio Gomez made an incredible diving catch, effectively sapping just enough of the never-say-die Bobcats’ energy.
After reaching second when junior Eppie Quintana gained first via an error, Montoya advanced to third via a Phillip Quintana fielder’s-choice grounder that forced out Eppie Quintana, but he remained at the hot corner when Rylan Maez went down swinging.
Looking like a pitcher who’d just had an immense weight lifted off his shoulders, even after Phillip Quintana gamely blanked Wiggins in the bottom of the sixth, Yzaguirre authoritatively struck out Dylan McCaw swinging, froze Elliott Hendren with a called third strike and got Marcus Maez to line out to first baseman Truett Freauff – securing WHS a title in defense of recently christened AP Memorial Ballpark.
And the Tigers said perhaps the site’s namesake had been watching.
“We may have had an angel out there,” said head coach Gabe Gallegos, alluding to predecessor Aaron Phillips, who died at age 33 in a crash near Brighton less than a month after guiding Wiggins to the 2019 CHSAA Class 2A State Tournament’s Final Four. His Tigers then fell to eventual state champion Peyton.
“He brought me on his staff, and I was able to coach with him, and I’ve been lucky enough … keeping this going, you know? He laid the groundwork for it all, and we’re just riding those coattails, preaching that message and doing what we do.”
Ninth-seeded Ignacio wasn’t to be easily broken after rallying past 24-seed Evergreen Clear Creek, 8-5, in the sun-soaked, snow-dodging day’s first semifinal, despite Yzaguirre (W, CG; 7 IP, 2 H, R, 2 BB, 7 K) not only singling in the finale’s first two runs, but also retiring the first 10 ’Cats he faced
Able to throw three scoreless innings and strand seven Tigers in scoring position, Phillip Quintana (L, CG; 6 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 2 HB, 3 K) made IHS’ resolve known.
“Yeah, I really wanted to play these guys,” he said. “I knew they were a good team, so I was … just really excited to pitch against a team like that.”
Older brother Eppie also had a sense that after Phillip fanned CCHS’ Connor Kennedy, the sophomore was primed.
“Even though it stung my hand like no other, it felt great,” said Eppie Quintana, the winning pitcher (6 IP, 8 H, 5 R, 3 BB, HB, 7 K) against the Golddiggers (11-10 overall) and catcher when Kennedy became Clear Creek’s final out. “But he came through clutch when he needed to do a job. Hopefully we can get this next game!”
Seeded eighth in the 2022 state tournament’s initial round of 32, and having outgunned Westcliffe-based No. 25 Custer County (13-11 overall) in the second semi 16-10, WHS’ lead on Ignacio increased to 3-0 in the bottom of the third inning when Yzaguirre reached on a rare Jacob Gallegos error with two outs, and courtesy runner Marcus Stienbar (2 R) then scored via consecutive singles to left by Ryder Baessler and Julio Flores.
After the Bobcats cut Wiggins’ lead to 3-1, the Tigers (16-9 overall) separated for good with three runs in the fifth. Catcher Grayson Johnson (1-2, BB, HBP) got hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, and Yzaguirre (2-3, 3 RBI) promptly plated courtesy runner J.R. Meyer (2 R) by doubling to center. Baessler (1-3, BB) then struck out, but Flores reached via an error by second baseman Marcus Maez. Stienbar and scored on a Mendoza groundout to amends-making Maez.
Belinder was then beaned, and Flores (1-3, FC, R, RBI) came in to score when third baseman Montoya booted a Freauff bouncer. The hard-hitting Frye, who’d tripled thrice and went 5-for-5 against Custer County, then grounded out to Rylan Maez at first, but the damage had been done.
“When Taryn came up to the plate, got a hit and … knocked two runs in, we just kind of went from there,” said Frye (1-4). “Just had little knocks here and there; once we get into a rhythm and start hitting, we get RBIs, and it fuels everyone’s fire.”
Wiggins will next head to Pueblo on Friday to test No. 1 Limon (23-0) in the Great Eight.
“It’s huge. A few years ago (WHS) made the Final Four, then … there was COVID, and last year we didn’t quite make it,” Yzaguirre said, recalling the Tigers’ 2021 loss to Buena Vista in the second round of a 24-team state tourney. “So we’re excited. We play Limon, who beat us (12-1) earlier in the season, but we’re excited, and we’re ready.”
In defeat, Jacob Gallegos and Hendren each ended up 1-for-3, and Montoya was 0-2 with a walk.
“It was just a really amazing season for all of us,” said Phillip Quintana (0-3, FC). “No one thought that we’d be here, with the group we have right now, but we made it, showed everyone different.”
“We have so much talent on this team, but at the beginning of the season we weren’t sure what was going to happen,” Eppie Quintana (0-2, BB, ERR) said. “Shoutout to coach Duke; he just came in and coached the way he thought we needed to be coached. Everyone’s just connected … close right now.”
In Ignacio’s victory over Clear Creek, in which the ’Diggers led 5-0 after the top of the first inning, seven ’Cats logged at least one hit. Eppie Quintana went 2-for-4 with a run and two RBIs. Gallegos was 1-3 with a walk and a run. Montoya was 1-4, singling once and reaching via two errors, with two runs scored.
Phillip Quintana (IP, 0 H, 0 R, BB, 3 K) was 1-2 and walked twice. Rylan Maez was 1-3 with a walk and a run. Hendren was 1-3, singling once plus reaching once via error, with a run and one batted in.
IHS erased CCHS’ early advantage by scoring two runs in the bottom of the first, one in the second, one in the third, three in the fourth and one in the fifth before leaving the bases loaded in the sixth.
Joe Monseu took the loss for the ’Diggers, giving up six runs on four hits while walking two and striking out five in 3.2 innings.
Tucker Versailles was 1-4 with a double, but also hit into an inning-ending 4-6-3 double play with bases loaded in the top of the sixth.
“That was clutch,” said a relieved Eppie Quintana. “If that didn’t come through it would have been a closer game than what it was. It was definitely a play that needed to happen, and it did.”
“As a coach I couldn’t ask for a better group of boys, for sure,” first-year skipper Duke Baker said. “We improved from the beginning to the end, and that’s all that matters; these boys played their butts off. I’m so proud of each and every one of them.”
“But (the loss) stings though,” he confessed. “It stings.”
After finishing a COVID-condensed Spring 2021 season 5-9-1 overall, Ignacio roared back to 15-8 in a full-length ’22.
“We’re all so excited for next year,” Phillip Quintana said, “because we know all of these teams are losing three to four players. But … we’re not losing anyone, so we’re really excited.”
