No one needs to tell University coach Casey Miller, junior pitcher Gage Viken and the rest of the Bulldogs’ relentless squad how much of a grind the Class 3A state baseball tournament will be.
It always is a grind.
But, this might be the most wide open the tournament has been in years.
Naturally, University was well prepared for a tournament in which it would have to claw for every run, every out and every win.
University senior Kaden Turk, left, works to get the Resurrection Christian runner out while playing at Butch Butler Field on Friday May 23, 2025.(Jim Rydbom/Staff Photographer)Fortunately, for the Bulldogs, they love the grind.
Grind was exactly what second-seeded University did on route to a pair of wins during Friday’s first day of the four-day, two-weekend, eight-team double-elimination tournament.
The Bulldogs narrowly held off eighth-seeded Valley 5-4 in the first round before creating the slightest separation in the final couple innings of a 5-2 win against fourth-seeded Resurrection Christian in the second round at Butch Butler Field.
University senior Preston Natividad, left, works to get the Resurrection Christian runner out at third base while playing at Butch Butler Field in Greeley on Friday May 23, 2025.(Jim Rydbom/Staff Photographer)“By no means did we take (Valley) for granted,” Miller said. “I’m just proud of how the boys competed and how they’re playing together.”
Both of Friday’s opponents were familiar foes for University. The Bulldogs previously defeated Valley 4-1 in Patriot League play April 30 in Gilcrest.
Resurrection Christian (18-8) handed University (24-3) one of its three losses of the season, on April 8 in league play.
The Bulldogs will face yet another familiar foe at 2 p.m. Saturday back at Butch Butler Field when they take on second-seeded Coal Ridge (24-2-1) in a critical game between the last two teams unbeaten in the double-elimination tournament.
University junior Damian Alvarez blasts the ball while playing Resurrection Christian at Butch Butler Field in Greeley on Friday May 23, 2025.(Jim Rydbom/Staff Photographer)Resurrection Christian tries to keep its season alive when it takes on No. 6 The Classical Academy (19-7) or No. 7 Delta (18-8) in a lower bracket second round game at 11:30 a.m. Saturday.
Coal Ridge knocked off four-time defending 3A champion Eaton 8-0 in the second round Friday after beating seventh-seeded Delta 11-5 in the first round.
The grind continues, and it figures to not get any easier, for University, as it pursues its sixth state baseball title in program history over the next couple weeks.
University senior Will Korby snags the ball while playing Resurrection Christian at Butch Butler Field in Greeley on Friday May 23, 2025.(Jim Rydbom/Staff Photographer)“We played Coal Ridge earlier this year; it was a really close game, we had a walk-off (a 4-3 win on March 22)”,” said Viken, who recorded a gritty complete-game victory on the mound against Resurrection Christian. “We know they’re really good. It feels good that we’re going to play a later game (Saturday). We can just keep getting more prepared and maybe settle in faster. But, we know what (the Titans) can do. We know they can hit the ball.”
Windsor dominates
Fourth-seeded Windsor hardly resembled your run-of-the-mill middle seed in the first day of the 4A state tournament at the Air Force Academy.
The Wizards secured a big 9-2 win in the first round over fifth-seeded Palisade (17-9). They were perhaps even more impressive in a dominant 8-2 upset over top-seeded Pueblo County (24-3) moments later in the second round.
The Hornets had won 18 consecutive games, including a 15-0 win early in the day Friday against eighth-seeded Severance.
Windsor’s two big wins set up a showdown with third-seeded Golden (24-3) at 2 p.m. Saturday. That game features the final two teams unbeaten in the double-elimination tournament, and whichever team wins will guarantee itself a spot in the finals on May 31.
Platte Valley clamps down on defense
Seventh-seeded Platte Valley’s tough-as-nails regular season schedule may be paying dividends at just the right time.
The Broncos earned an 4-1 upset victory against second-seeded Dayspring Christian in the first round of the 2A tournament Friday morning at the Runyon Field Sports Complex’s Andenucio Field in Pueblo.
Platte Valley continued to excel defensively in a 2-1 win against third-seeded Fowler (21-3) in the second round. The Grizzlies had won 18 consecutive games before losing to the Broncos.
Platte Valley improved to 18-9 and will look to continue its budding Cinderella story during a crucial third-round game against top-seeded Forge Christian (23-4) at 2 p.m. Saturday.
Eaton splits games
Third-seeded Eaton’s two games couldn’t have been any more contrasting Friday at University High School’s Tom Roche Field in Greeley.
The Reds were sharp in their tournament opener, cruising past sixth-seeded The Classical Academy 3-0 to punch their ticket past the first round.
Second-seeded Coal Ridge (24-2-1) completely turned the tables on Eaton in the second round. The Titans knocked off the Reds 8-0.
With that loss, Eaton (20-7) — the four-time defending 3A champion — falls to the lower bracket of the double-elimination tournament. At 11:30 a.m. Saturday, the Reds take on whichever team prevails in a game at 9 a.m. Saturday between No. 8 Valley and No. 5 Montezuma-Cortez.
Highland struggles against top seed
Fifth-seeded Highland started its campaign in the 2A state tournament well enough, topping fourth-seeded Peyton 3-0 early Friday.
The Huskies ran into a bit of a brick wall in the second round, falling to top-seeded Forge Christian 9-1 at the Runyon Field Sports Complex’s Hobbs Field in Pueblo.
Despite the second-round loss, Highland (20-7) remains very much in contention in the eight-team double-elimination tournament.
In the second round of the lower bracket at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, the Huskies will face whichever team prevails in a 9 a.m. game between No. 2 Dayspring Christian (21-4) and No, 6 Denver Christian (16-9).
Severance falls to top seed
Eighth-seeded Severance ran into a buzzsaw in the first round of the 4A state tournament at the Air Force Academy.
The Silver Knights fell 15-0 in four innings to top-seeded Pueblo County.
After a scoreless first inning, the Hornets blew the game wide open with 10 runs in the bottom of the second. Pueblo County out-hit Severance 12-0.
The Silver Knights fell to 19-7 overall and will face No. 5 Palisade (17-9) in the lower bracket of the double-elimination tournament at 9 a.m. Saturday back at the Air Force Academy.
Severance had won 10 consecutive games before Friday’s loss.
Valley junior Seth Kissler runs to the base during the Vikings' 5-4 loss to University during the first round of the Class 3A state baseball tournament Friday, May 23, 2025, at Butch Butler Field in Greeley. (Brian Stotts/Courtesy)Oh, so close
Eighth-seeded upset-minded Valley fell just short of another upset after knocking off second-seeded Colorado Academy in regionals this past weekend.
Top-seeded University held off the Vikings, 5-4, in Friday’s first round of the 3A tournament at Butch Butler Field.
Valley briefly took a lead, going up 1-0 in the top of the second.
The Bulldogs responded with three runs in the bottom of the third. The Vikings scored a run in the top of the fourth to trim the gap to 3-2 before tying the game at 4 with two runs in the bottom of the sixth.
Battled-tested University edged ahead for good with a run in the bottom of the sixth.
The Bulldogs out-hit Valley 11-6.
With the loss, the Vikings fell to 13-13 and will face No. 5 Montezuma-Cortez (21-5) in the lower bracket at 9 a.m. Saturday.
Offensive struggles
Second-seeded Dayspring Christian was unable to find much wiggle room in the first round of the 2A state tournament against Platte Valley on Friday at the Runyon Field Sports Complex’s Andenucio Field in Pueblo.
The hardy seventh-seeded Broncos out-hit the Eagles 7-4.
Dayspring scored a run to take a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third, but Platte Valley shut out the Eagles the rest of the way.
Senior Josiah Rodriguez had two of Dayspring’s four hits.
The Eagles saw their 11-win streak come to an end. They fell to 21-4 and will face No. 6 Denver Christian (16-9) in the lower bracket at 9 a.m. Saturday.
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