Prep Baseball Report

Cherry Creek Defeats Heritage 7-6





By John Cackowski

State Director

Littleton - Right now the Cherry Creek Bruins look like they are in mid-season form ready for another long 5A playoff run. The Bruins have faced the likes of Carter Akerfelds of Dakota Ridge (Iowa Western CC), Drake Davis (Arizona State), and Caleb Sloan (Texas Christian) and have a 3-0 record against those teams. Last night at Heritage they had a chance to add Riley Egloff and Jacob Hilton(New Mexico) to that list, and again the Bruins came away with a victory. 

Senior RHP Sam Colehower matched up against solid junior Riley Egloff in another potential 5A state playoff matchup, and Colehower would get the last laugh.  

After both pitchers would pitch a scoreless 1st inning, the Bruins jumped on Egloff and the Eagles in the 2nd plating 3 runs highlighted by back to back doubles by junior Brennen Dorighi and junior Tyler Schultz

In the bottom of the 2nd the Eagles looked like they were have a big inning with a leadoff double off senior Gunnar Kozlowitz, but Colehower would induce a 2-6-3 double play. However the Eagles would get a 2-out solo shot from senior Tanner Milinkov to cut the lead to 3-1. 

In the Top of the 3rd the Bruins would benefit from back to back homeruns from senior Cody Schultz, and junior Tanner O'Tremba that would extend the lead to 5-1, and the second consecutive game both players would go deep. 

The Eagles would have Colehower on the ropes in the bottom of the 5th with a leadoff walk from sophomore Eric McKnight, followed by a single from senior Casey Opitz. Holding on to a 5-2 lead, Colehower would strike out senior Jacob Hilton, and then induce an impressive 6-4-3 double play highlighted by an impressive barehanded grab off the ground by Cody Schultz, followed by run saving pick in the dirt by first basemen Gunnar Garcia

Down 5-2, the Eagles would go to Hilton in relief, and he was impressive in the 5th and 6th striking out 5 of 6 Bruin batters. 

In the top of the 7th Hilton would get the first two outs, however after a single, the Eagles would drop a pop fly which would eventually lead to two unearned runs for the Bruins taking a 7-2 lead. Hilton would leave the 7th striking out 7 batters in 3 innings. 

In the bottom of the 7th it would get scary for the Bruins. Junior Gabe Austin, now in relief, would strike out senior Arian Jimenez to get the first out. McKnight would walk, then two more singles by Optiz and Egloff would load the bases with two outs. Kozlowitz would then hit a 2-out grand slam cutting the lead to 7-6. That would be a close as the Eagles would get because Austin would strike out junior Ryan Hutchinson to end the threat. 

The Bruins improved to 4-1 on the season and next play against another solid 5A team Legend at home on April 3rd. The Eagles fall to 3-1 and next play on 3-27 in Arizona against Sherwood, OR. 

Highlights

Cherry Creek
Sam Colehower: 5 IP, 7 hits, 2 ER, 6 strikeouts
Tanner O-Tremba: 2-4, HR, 2 RBI's
Cody Shultz: 1-4, HR, RBI
Brennen Dorighi: 2-3, 2 2B

Heritage
Gunnar Kozlowitz: 2-4, HR, 4 RBI's
Casey Opitz: 2-2, 2 walks
Tanner Milinkov: 2-2, HR, RBI
Jacob Hilton: 3 IP, 2 Hits, 0 ER, 7 strikeouts.