The Bayfield High School baseball team is now 3-0 after three solid road wins, including an extra-inning thriller Tuesday in Utah.
In a back-and-forth contest in Blanding, Utah, both Bayfield and San Juan were unable to score in the seventh inning to break up an 8-8 tie. In extra innings, the Wolverines got one run on a base hit from Max McGhehey, while junior pitcher Hayden Farmer kept the Broncos off the board again in the seventh and eighth innings for Bayfield to earn a 9-8 win.
“It was really very good for them,” BHS head coach Danny Petrie said of the win. “They battled hard, showed some character. We had ups and downs in this gamer, but they pulled through.”
BHS jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first but entered the second inning down 2-1. The Wolverines hung four runs on the board in the top of the second and carried a 5-2 lead into the fourth, when the Wolverines added two more runs to take a 7-2 lead. But San Juan answered with three runs in each the fourth and sixth innings, while BHS scored one in the sixth to create the 8-8 tie.
The Wolverines struck out 11 times in the game, but drew 11 walks and stole 12 bases. Alex Demko was walked three times and stole one base. BHS senior Michael Gettman stole three bases, while Hub Brandon, Jake Brandon and McGhehey also stole two bases.
McGhehey went 3-for-6 at the plate with one run batted in and one run scored. Gettman was 3-for-4 with two RBIs and three runs scored. Farmer went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs scored. Jake Brandon and Kaleb Heck each drove in one run.
Farmer was credited with the win on the mound. He pitched two innings and didn’t allow a hit. He walked two and struck out two. Jake Brandon, a junior, pitched three innings and gave up four hits and four runs. He walked five and struck out four. BHS sophomore Shane Moore pitched three innings and allowed five hits and four runs. He struck out six and walked two.
BHS will head to Phoenix next week for four games during spring break. The team will play Thunderbird and Greenway of Phoenix, Oxnard of California, and Meridian of Idaho beginning March 26 and ending March 29.
The Durango High School girls golf team opened the season with a bit of fun in a scramble-format tournament Tuesday in Palisade.
The Demons played as a team in the scramble and combined to shoot 69. That scored tied for third place with Vail Mountain. Montrose was second at 67, and Grand Junction blew away the competition with a 58.
“It was a five-person scramble for the first tournament of the year so that everybody gets to play together as a team and coaches get to see where everyone is playing the first 18 holes of the year,” DHS head coach Kirk Rawles said. “Tomorrow when we play individual stroke play, it will be interesting to see if it’s Grand Junction’s entire team or just their top one or two players who put up a score like that.”
Two-time state qualifier Faith Mewmaw wasn’t on the trip with the Demons because of school obligations at Animas High. Rawles brought Liana Bygel, Quinn Griswold, Grace and Madeline Meyer, and promising freshman Lily Tichi.
“I’m really optimistic,” said Rawles, who noted he had 22 girls come out for the team this year. “Madeline has been working on her game, and same with Quinn, and Lily is a really good player for a freshman. We have a young group with only one senior, but I am really excited about this year and especially for next year.”
Durango will open the real season Wednesday at Tiara Rado Golf Course in a tournament hosted by Grand Junction Central.
The Pagosa Springs girls soccer team took an 8-0 win Tuesday at Ignacio.
The Pirates scored all eight goals in the first half. Ignacio’s attack tried to prevent the shutout in the second half but was held back.
Ignacio (0-4) has now lost all four games it has played by an 8-0 score this year. The Bobcats will host Telluride at 1 p.m. Friday.
jlivingston@durangoherald.com
