The Haxtun Bulldogs are Regional Champions and in the 1A State Baseball Final Four following nailbiter wins over top 10 teams last week. The Bulldogs traveled south to Cheyenne Wells to face off with #10 ranked Stratton and the second seeded home team in Regional action. One-run wins over the Stratton Eagles and Cheyenne Wells Tigers gave Haxtun the Regional Title and one of four spots in the Championship finals slated for this week in Lakewood.

Haxtun entered the 16-team 1A Regional/State baseball bracket as the seventh seeded team, which pitted the Bulldogs in a contest with 10 ranked Stratton on Friday afternoon. The Eagles held an early advantage but no one could predict the lead changes and momentum shifts to come in the home stretch.

A home run from senior Isaac Andersen gave the Bulldogs life and an advantage but later, the Eagles would regain the lead. Again, Andersen came through for his team at the plate and a second home run put the Bulldogs back in the game. Lead shifts, as big as a handful of runs, swung both ways from the Bulldogs to the Eagles and the game went into extra innings. The Bulldogs kept composure both at the plate and in the field to inch out with a 10-9 win. The win sent Haxtun to the Regional Championship and the loss for the Eagles ended their season.

Cheyenne Wells entered the tournament as the number two team after knocking off top-ranked Holly the week before. That gave the Tigers homefield advantage. To advance to the championship round, Cheyenne Wells took down Prairie 11-1 earlier in the day.

Senior leadoff hitter Owen Knode started the game with a hit and Kyle Fryrear, in the two hole, batted him home for an early 1-0 Haxtun lead over Cheyenne Wells. The Bulldogs would go onto control the lead through seven innings to claim a 3-2 win to advance to the final four.

The Regional title pits seven ranked Haxtun against six ranked Holly this week. Games are set to be played at All-Star Park in Lakewood on Thursday, May 19. On the other side of the bracket, top ranked Merino will face off with 12th seeded Nucla. The winner of the two matchups will advance to the championship round later the same day.

(Herald photo by Candie Fix)

HAXTUN SENIOR PITCHER Isaac Andersen fires one to home plate in the Bulldogs outing against Stratton in Regional action on Friday in Cheyenne Wells. Haxtun pulled out one-run wins over both Stratton and Cheyenne Wells to secure the Regional Championship and make the 1A Final Four State Championships.

According to MaxPreps, Holly holds a 19-3 overall record with losses to Limon, Peyton and Cheyenne Wells. The Holly Wildcats went undefeated in league play in regular season action.

Colorado Preps' Kerry Sherman and KPMX Sports' Ben Blecha plan to stream Thursday's games from Lakewood. Action can be heard on 94.5 the Ranch. Merino takes on Nucla at 10 a.m. followed by the Bulldogs contest with Holly at 12:30 p.m. The championship match up is slated for 3 p.m.