Softball: Semifinal Matchups Set for State Championships

AURORA – The six semifinal matchups have been set for the 2023 Colorado State High School Association’s Softball State Championships. In 5A, Chatfield, Erie, Fossil Ridge and Fruita Monument all advanced, while Frederick, Holy Family, Lutheran and Riverdale Ridge advanced in 4A. In 3A, Eaton, Strasburg, The Academy and Thomas Jefferson move on to the semifinal round.

All six games will take place at 10 a.m. at Aurora Sports Park, with the 3A championship game set for 1 p.m. and the 4A and 5A games scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m.

In the 5A bracket, No. 9 seed Fruita Monument vs. No. 4 Erie and second-seeded Chatfield vs. No. 14 Fossil Ridge will be the semifinal matchups.

Fruita Monument upset No. 8 Eaglecrest 14-0 in the first round and then knocked out top-seeded Columbine in the quarterfinals, 11-6, to advance to the semifinals. Meanwhile, Erie topped No. 13 Mountain Vista 6-5 in the round of 16 and then beat No. 12 Grandview 6-5 to reach the semifinals.

On the other half of the bracket, Chatfield advanced by defeating No. 15 Valor Christian in the first round, 6-5, and then No. 10 Arvada West, 11-7, in the quarterfinals. No. 14 Fossil Ridge upset both No. 3 Horizon, 2-1, and No. 11 Cherokee Trail, 4-3, to advance.

In the 4A bracket, No. 1 seed Holy Family will take on No. 4 Lutheran, while No. 2 Riverdale Ridge will face No. 11 Frederick.

In a rematch of last year’s state championship game, Holy Family and Lutheran are set to square off after advancing past the quarterfinals. Holy Family recorded a 12-2 victory over No. 16 Pine Creek in the first round and then beat No. 8 Pueblo County 13-1 in the quarterfinals to reach the semifinals. Lutheran won their first-round matchup with No. 13 Pomona 16-1 and then beat No. 12 Greeley West 13-0 in the quarterfinals to punch their ticket.

On the other side of the bracket, Riverdale Ridge advanced by defeating No. 15 Roosevelt, 8-2, and No. 7 Windsor, 4-3, while Frederick used upset wins over No. 6 Berthoud (4-1) and No. 3 D’Evelyn (13-5) to advance to the semifinals.

In the 3A bracket, top-seeded Eaton will face No. 5 The Academy, and No. 2 Strasburg will take on No. 6 Thomas Jefferson.

Defending champion Eaton cruised to the semifinals by defeating No. 16 Meeker 13-2 in the first round and No. 9 Sterling 17-1 in the quarterfinals. Eaton will play The Academy, which won its first round game against No. 12 Rocky Ford, 8-4, and then upset No. 4 Lyons, 13-2, in the quarterfinals.

On the other half of the bracket, Strasburg advanced by besting No. 15 Alamosa, 14-3, and No. 10 Delta, 8-7. Meanwhile, Thomas Jefferson reached the semifinals by defeating No. 11 Fort Lupton, 7-4, and No. 14 Lamar, 12-5.