A year later, the Regis Jesuit baseball team finds itself in a familiar spot in the Class 5A championship series.
The Raiders suffered their first loss of the double-elimination tournament on the first weekend last season, but went on to capture the title by winning three straight games with their backs to the wall.
Bouncing back from a walk-off 4-3 loss to Highlands Ranch on May 18, Regis Jesuit took care of Pine Creek 6-4 on May 20 at Bishop Machebeuf High School to join a group of four teams — three from the Continental League — set to battle for the title.
“We’re back with everybody else except for one club that is in the driver’s seat; instead of looking at the big picture, we need to look at winning the game ahead,” Regis Jesuit coach Walt Weiss said.
“We were in this same spot last year and we won a state championship, so that’s what we need to focus on.”
Regis Jesuit (19-5) is set to take on Legend (19-4) — which the Raiders beat 11-3 in Continental League play — at noon May 25 at All-City Field. The Titans are 3-0 thus far in their first appearance in the 5A championship series and will have to be beaten twice in the final weekend.
The Raiders nearly had a shot to be that team, hammering Dakota Ridge 18-5 in their opener May 18 and leading Highlands Ranch 3-2 through six innings with one of their two aces, sophomore David Peterson, on the mound.
Though his pitch count was well over 100, Peterson wanted to finish out the game for his team. He ended walking the first hitter and hitting the next, setting up a rally. After a lightning delay, Geordy Smith delivered a two-run single for a 4-3 Falcons win.
Brody Weiss homered and drove in a pair of runs, Patrick Dinges also homered and Eric Brunts and Andrew Schmidt also plated runs to back starter Daniel Sutherland in the rebound win vs. Pine Creek.
Peterson hasn’t lost confidence in his team.
“We have a lot of seniors and a lot of guys from last year’s team that are going to carry us, hopefully all the way through,” Peterson said.
Reach Sports Editor Courtney Oakes at [email protected] or 303-750-7555
CLASS 5A BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
MAY 25, ALL-CITY FIELD
Game 12: No. 5 Legend (3-0) vs. No. 3 Regis Jesuit (2-1), noon
Game 13: No. 2 Highlands Ranch (2-1) vs. Cherry Creek (2-1), 2:30 p.m.
MAY 26, ALL-CITY FIELD
Game 14: Game 12 winner vs. Game 13 winner, noon
Game 15: Winner vs. Legend, 4 p.m. (if necessary)
