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Baseball

3A Baseball: All Eight Regional Champions Crowned

AURORA -- All eight of the 3A Baseball State Championship state qualifiers have been determined through regional play, as University, Valley, Coal Ridge, Eaton, Delta, Resurrection Christian, Montezuma-Cortez and The Classical Academy all won regional championships and will advance to state.

Region 1: No. 1 University blanked No. 32 Lincoln, 14-0, in the first round, while No. 16 Manitou Springs edged No. 17 Bennett, 8-6, to set up the regional championshpi game between University and Manitou Springs. University came out on top, 16-1, in that contest to secure the bid to state. 

Region 2: No. 18 Valley picked up a pair of upset victories - including knocking off the tournament's No. 2 seed - to secure its bid to the state tournament. In the first round, Valley knocked off No. 15 Alameda, while No. 2 Colorado Academy got past No. 31 Berthoud, 9-4. In the regional final, Valley squeaked by Colorado Academy, 5-4, to keep its season alive. 

Region 3: No. 3 Coal Ridge earned a 5-1 win over No. 30 Timnath in the first round, while No. 14 Peak to Peak eliminated No. 19 Gunnison, 7-1. Coal Ridge continue its streak, rolling to a 15-5 win over Peak to Peak in the finals to secure its spot in the state tournament. 

Region 4: No. 4 Eaton cruised through the regional without giving up a single run, as the Reds blanked No. 29 La Junta, 7-0, in the first round and then No. 20 Basalt, 8-0, in the regional final after Basalt upset No. 13 Lamar, 6-3, in its first round contest. 

In Region 5, No. 5 Sterling snuck past No. 28 The Academy, 3-2, and No. 12 Delta knocked off No. 21 Kent Denver to advance to the regional finals. There, Delta upset Sterling, 10-7, to advance to states. 

Region 6: No. 6 Resurrectino Christian outscored its opponents 24-0 in the two games, posting a 15-0 first-round win over No. 27 Arvada and a 9-0 win over No. 22 Alamosa in the regional final. Alamosa had used an 8-2 upset win over No. 11 Brush to advance to the finals. 

Region 7: No. 7 Montezuma-Cortez earned a 9-3 win over No. 26 Jefferson Academy in the first round of the regional, while No. 10 Elizabeth knocked off No. 23 Liberty Common, 9-1. Montezuma-Cortez used an 11-6 win over Elizabeth in the regional final to advance to the state bracket. 

Region 8: No. 8 The Classical Academy's bats were hot in the first round, as it scored 21 runs and allowed just one in a 21-1 win over No. 25 Woodland Park. In the other first-round game, No. 9 Prospect Ridge knocked off No. 24 Salida, 8-2, before falling to The Classical Academy, 11-3, in the regional final.