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Air Academy players celebrated their 6-5 victory over Chatfield in a 5A state baseball semifinal game Friday.
(KEVIN KRECK, THE GAZETTE)
Eighth-inning rally gives Air Academy shot at defending champs
DENVER - The comeback Kadets came through once again as the No. 3 seed Air Academy scored two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to defeat No. 8 Chatfield 6-5 and advance to the championship of the 5A state baseball tournament.
"This is a massive win for our program," Air Academy coach Glenn Millhauser said. "I can only explain this experience as electric; my heart is pounding like crazy right now."
Friday's win sets up a rematch with No. 2 seed Rocky Mountain (22-3), which eliminated the Kadets last spring. The Lobos, who defeated Air Academy 12-9 last week, do not have a loss in the doubleelimination tournament.
That means the Kadets must defeat the defending state champions twice to win their first state baseball title since 1989. The teams play at noon today at All City Field at Denver South High School and possibly again at 4.
"I am so pumped we are playing tomorrow," pitcher Dexter Price said. "This team has a lot of heart and we've been doing it this way all year."
Greg Volz's bases-loaded single in the bottom of the eighth inning scored Ron Burton from third base and pinch runner James Doyle from second.
"All offseason I worked in the cages and hit offi the tees to prepare for a moment like this," Volz said. "I took the same mental approach as I always do and it worked."
The Kadets (23-2) cruised to the sixth inning with a 3-0 lead behind Price, who tossed a no-hitter through five innings. Price faltered in the sixth, giving up four runs and allowing the Chargers (19-6) to take their first lead of the game, 4-3.
"I knew I had to bear down after that," Price said.
Price helped his cause by leading off the bottom of the sixth with a double. He later scored on a Jared Brown single to tie the game, 4-4.
After a scoreless seventh, Chatfield's Taylor Rogers singled home Jake Davis with two outs to give the Chargers a 5-4 lead.
It was then that Volz started his heroics.
His run-saving circus catch in right field ended the top of the eighth with the Kadets down by one.
"After they scored in the top of the eighth it was a little bit somber in our dugout," Millhauser said. "But we knew we could come back because we have won so many games this way this season and we were confident we could do it again."
The Kadets have fallen behind in their past five playoff games, rallying to win four.
Air Academy took advantage of a Chargers throwing error that allowed Burton to reach first. Price followed that with his second double of the game, setting up Volz's game-winning hit. Doyle pinch-ran for Price.
STATE FINALS
Air Academy vs. Rocky Mountain, noon, today, All City Field, Denver South High School
* Air Academy needs two wins, Rocky Mountain needs one; second game (if necessary) begins at 4 p.m.
