LITTLETON | It may not have been pretty, but in the chase for the postseason, Cherokee Trail’s 10-6, nine-inning Centennial League baseball victory at Arapahoe on Saturday loomed large.
In a game marred by four errors on each side, the Cougars scored four times in the top of the ninth inning and held on for a 10-6 win over the Warriors, earning their sixth victory in their past seven league contests.
Michael Dziurgot and Madison McIntosh each had four hits and three RBI to spearhead a 13-hit offensive attack for Cherokee Trail, which moved into a tie with Mullen — the only team to beat it recently — for fourth place in the Centennial League with three games to go. The Cougars also helped Grandview take a two-game lead on Arapahoe (10-6, 7-4) for second place behind league unbeaten Cherry Creek.
Mitchell Marquardt doubled twice and Ben John and Sean Wilson drove in a pair of runs each for Cherokee Trail (10-6, 6-5).
Starting pitcher Jordan Smith and reliever Dziurgot overcame four errors behind them to keep the Warriors mostly at bay. Arapahoe tied the game in the bottom of the sixth inning, but came up empty in its final three at-bats.
The Cougars have a tough schedule left in their last three games: May 1 at Cherry Creek, May 3 at Grandview and at home on May 5 against Smoky Hill. Cherokee Trail went 1-2 against those three teams in the first round of Centennial League play.
Reach Sports Editor Courtney Oakes at sports@aurorasentinel.com or 303-750-7555
CHEROKEE TRAIL 10, ARAPAHOE 6 (9 inn.)
Score by innings (r-h-e):
Cherokee Trail 204 000 004 — 10 13 4
Arapahoe 202 011 000 — 6 8 4
CHEROKEE TRAIL (ab-r-h-rbi)
Michael Dziurgot 5-3-4-3, Madison McIntosh 5-3-4-3, Ben John 4-1-1-2, Daniel Mackay 5-1-1-0, Mitchell Marquardt 4-1-2-0, Sean Wilson 5-1-2-2, Connor Halvorson 5-0-1-1, Alex Achtermann 3-0-0-0, Nate Schneider 4-1-0-0, Dylan Bellis 1-0-0-0, Keaton Edwards 1-1-1-1, Nicco Rizzo 0-1-0-0. Totals 41-10-13-9. Pitching (ip-h-r-er-bb-so): Jordan Smith (4 2/3-6-5-3-3-2), Michael Dziurgot (W, 4 1/3-2-1-1-2-6).
2B — Cherokee Trail: Mitchell Marquardt 2, Sean Wilson.