PUEBLO – The 2A regional baseball tournament got underway on Friday at Runyon Sports Compex. Sargent (17-5-0) faced off with Evangelical Christian Academy (14-8-0) on Hobbs Field. The Eagles proved too much for Sargent in a 9-5 game.

Entering the contest both teams carried a top ten RPI ranking. ECA placed number eight while Sargent ranked number nine. While Sargent closed the regular season on a low note with two straight losses to Hotchkiss they entered Runyon Sports Complex with two wins in their pocket thanks to winning the District Tournament at Adams State University last weekend.

Starting action in Friday’s game rolled out slowly with neither team yielding runs in the opening frame.  Evangelical Christain broke the tie in the second inning with six runs and Sargent was in catch up mode for the remainder. The Farmers got into scoring mode in the third inning when Davis batted a run in on a single to right field. Hunter Younkerman joined Davis on base with a bunt. Trevor Milne got Davis home with a base hit and Younkerman got home to help the Farmers close the gap to three.

After the Eagles pushed the lead back to four runs in the bottom of the third Sargent struck back when Milne scored Davis once again to make it a 7-4 game

Evangelical Christian’s Daniel Perry singled on full bases to score two and make it a 9-4 game in the Eagle’s favor at the bottom of the fifth. Sargent’s final score came during a seventh inning rally when Davis got home for the third time of the day. Davis singled to right field and stole his way to third base where ECA’s Andrew DeRuiter balked him home. After defeating Sargent ECA went on to face the top ranked Peyton Panthers. Peyton defeated Evangelical Christian 12-5 and will face Hotchkiss in the 2A State Baseball semifinals on May 26. Losing seniors Byron Henniegh, Trevor Milne, Ryan Davis, Christian Schaller and Hunter Younkerman the Farmers will look to their youth in the new season.

Captions: Farmer Christian Schaller (9) makes connection while Jacob Deacon (8) waits patiently at third base during the Farmers’ 9-5 defeat against Evangelical Christian./Courier photos by Stephen Jiron

Sargent’s Ryan Davis (6) comes out of his stance while pitching during Friday’s regional matchup in Pueblo. Davis picked up three runs and an RBI on the day.

The Sargent Farmers watch their teammates from the dug out.