1A State Tournament Championship Preview
May 14, 2015
By Jeff Letofsky
PBR Colorado Senior Writer
Following rain, snow, hail and weather issues, the Class 1A state baseball tournament championship game is finally set.
Saturday at 6 p.m. at All-City Stadium in Denver, Granada and Dove Creek high schools will battle for the title.
Granada enters the game with a 7-6 record. Dove Creek is 11-12.
The Bobcats will be shooting for their fourth state baseball crown after winning trophies in 2009, 1995 and 1991. The Bulldogs have never won a state baseball title.
Longtime Granada coach Manny Gonzales coaches football, basketball and baseball.
Granada defeated Fleming 14-7 in the quarterfinals on Monday in Denver and took down Nucla 13-6 in the semifinals to reach the title game.
"We had to beat a pretty good team in Nucla," said Gonzales, who has been coaching at Granada for four decades.
Dove Creek edged Holly 2-1 in the quarterfinals before knocking off Community Christian 8-5 in the semifinals. The Bulldogs were in the state championship game last season only to lose 17-1 to Caliche.
Both teams feature talented aces for the title game.
Dove Creek junior Jordan Ernst is the team's top player. He's hitting .500 and the left-hander is 8-1 on the mound. He's a strikeout pitcher with 70 on the season.
Granada will counter with sophomore right-hander Ryan Koeller.
"We've got a good pitcher, too," Gonzales said. "Both pitchers are very good. It could be a great pitcher's dual."
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