ALAMOSA – The Del Norte High School baseball team won its regional baseball tournament in Fowler on Saturday to qualify for the state tournament.
The Tigers first defeated Rangely 7-3 and then they defeated Yuma in the championship by a score of 3-2.
In the Rangely game, the Tigers struck first with a run in in the top of the first. The Panthers answered with two runs in their half of the inning.
Del Norte then scored a run in the second and third innings and two runs in the fourth. It scored once in the fifth and sixth innings.
The Tigers had eight hits and were led by Ben Parra who went 3-3 with three RBIs, and Tyler Gallegos who went 2-2.
Parra was also the winning pitcher as he allowed three runs and six hits. He struck out 11 and walked three.
In the championship game, Yuma scored one in the bottom of the first, but the Tigers scored two in the third. Yuma tied the score in its half of the third. Del Norte scored the go-ahead run in the top of the fourth.
The Tigers had only one hit which was collected by Gage Trujillo.
Nick Atencio went the distance to earn the win. He allowed two runs and five hits with 11 strikeouts and two walks.
Del Norte (17-5) will play third-seeded Denver Christian in the Class 2A State Tournament quarterfinals on Friday at 10 a.m. Should the Tigers win, they will play either second-seeded Peyton or 10th-seeded St. Mary’s Saturday at 10 a.m. Both games will be played at the Runyon Sports Complex in Pueblo.
The championship game is June 3 at CSU Pueblo’s Rawlins Field.
