With the way University baseball coach Casey Miller characterized his team’s emotions after its disappointing loss to Coal Ridge this past Saturday, the Bulldogs likely would have jumped at the chance to play another game right away.
University may just get that chance — to play two critical games in immediate succession — on Saturday.
University sophomore Derek Casillas turns a double play against Resurrection Christian at Butch Butler Field in Greeley on Friday May 30, 2025.(Jim Rydbom/Staff Photographer)The top-seeded Bulldogs kept their season, and their state title hopes, alive with a decisive 4-1 win against fourth-seeded Resurrection Christian in the state semifinals Friday at Butch Butler Field.
With that win, University (25-4) advances to the finals for the fourth consecutive year and will face second-seeded Coal Ridge (25-2-1) at 10 a.m. Saturday back at Butch Butler.
With Friday’s win, the Bulldogs emphatically bounced back from a rough 3-0 loss to Coal Ridge this past Saturday. It was the first time all season University had been shut out.
“The boys were just itching to get back to Butch Butler,” Miller said. “We had an OK practice yesterday. But, man, they just wanted to get back here and prove to everyone that we’re better than what we showed last Saturday. No disrespect to Coal Ridge. They straight-up beat us. But now we’re back to where we wanted to be.”
University junior Damian Alvarez slides safely into third base while playing Resurrection Christian at Butch Butler Field in Greeley on Friday May 30, 2025.(Jim Rydbom/Staff Photographer)Resurrection Christian, which beat No. 5 Montezuma-Cortez 10-2 earlier Friday, ended its season with a 20-10 record.
Though Friday’s win did plenty to rectify the Bulldogs’ loss against Coal Ridge this past Saturday, the aftermath still lingers.
That game featured the final two teams unbeaten in the eight-team double-elimination. The Titans are 3-0 in the state tournament heading into Saturday’s finals. University is 3-1.
When the two teams step on the field Saturday, Coal Ridge would have played one fewer game — and used one fewer pitcher.
Also, the Bulldogs need to beat the Titans twice to secure their seventh title in program history — a total that includes their first state title in 1955 when the school was named College High.
University senior Isaac Dellinger turns on the speed while playing Resurrection Christian at Butch Butler Field in Greeley on Friday May 30, 2025.(Jim Rydbom/Staff Photographer)With a deep, balanced pitching staff, University might just be in an ideal position to pick up two wins Saturday, albeit with its back planted firmly against the proverbial wall.
Gritty Bulldogs senior Will Korby assured University was able to save as much pitching as possible.
University senior pitcher Will Korby fires a pitch while playing Resurrection Christian at Butch Butler Field in Greeley on Friday May 30, 2025.(Jim Rydbom/Staff Photographer)He recorded a yeoman-like gem Friday against Resurrection Christian, allowing one unearned run on three hits, striking out two and walking two. He threw 86 pitches.
The University baseball team celebrates with their fans after beating Resurrection Christian 4-1 at Butch Butler Field in Greeley on Saturday May 30, 2025.(Jim Rydbom/Staff Photographer)“That really helps us out — me being able to go all seven innings and having Gage (Viken), Joel (Ramirez) and all the top arms ready to go tomorrow and get the job done for us,” said Korby, who also went 2 for 2 at the plate with one RBI. “This was a great confidence booster. This was the (job) that we needed to get done. We got it done, and now we just need to go out there and get it tomorrow.”
University senior Medardo Abrego, right, tags out the runner at first base while playing Resurrection Christian at Butch Butler Field in Greeley on Friday May 30, 2025.(Jim Rydbom/Staff Photographer)An expression of gratitude
The heartfelt festivities will begin Saturday before the first pitch is thrown.
Just before the 10 a.m. finals game, community leader John W. Haefeli will be honored.
For 50-plus years, the 67-year-old Haefeli has been an avid supporter and contributor to the area’s youth academics and athletics scene.
He also has been a longtime organizer and director of the 3A state baseball tournament at Butch Butler, in addition to helping run other state competitions.
A true heart-breaker
For 10 long innings Friday at the Runyon Field Sports Complex’s Hobbs Field, seventh-seeded underdog Platte Valley was in prime position to punch its ticket to Saturday’s final and compete for its first state title since 1954.
Unfortunately for the Broncos, that game-changing run never came.
Platte Valley fell to sixth-seeded, two-time defending Class 2A champion Denver Christian 1-0 in a game that required three extra innings.
With the tight win, the Thunder (20-9) will pursue a threepeat. But the team will need to beat top-seeded Forge Christian (24-4) twice Saturday, beginning at 10 a.m.
The Broncos ended one of their best seasons in program history with an 18-11 record. They went 2-2 in the state tournament, dropping a critical 10-0 loss to Forge Christian in the winners bracket semifinals this past Saturday.
Too little, too late
Windsor scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh inning — which can often be game-changing this time of year.
Unfortunately for the fourth-seeded Wizards, their opponent, sixth-seeded Cheyenne Mountain, had done significant damage in the initial innings, placing Windsor in what turned out to be an insurmountable hole Friday at the United States Air Force Academy.
The Red-Tailed Hawks defeated the Wizards 5-2 in a 4A semifinals game.
Cheyenne Mountain (20-8-1) will need to beat No. 3 Golden (25-3) twice in the finals Saturday, beginning at 10 a.m.
Meanwhile, Windsor wraps up its season with a 21-8 record. The Wizards went 2-2 in the double-elimination tournament, initially losing to Golden 12-11 in the winners bracket semifinals this past Saturday.
In Friday’s critical game, Cheyenne Mountain jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning before scoring a run in each the second and third innings, and one more in the fifth. The Wizards didn’t score until they recorded a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh.
Seniors Ethan Fillinger and Teegan Cole each produced an RBI for Windsor.
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