Custer County Bobcats
Coach: Steve Schultz
Record: 13-3
Hot at the plate: 2B Kyle Hershberger is dialed in, along with fellow seniors C-P Corey Barnes and UTL Ben Mullett.
Menace on the mound: Jason Frink threw a one-hitter in last year’s state semifinal. He has missed nearly two-thirds of the season with ankle injuries, but he’s back in form.
Around the yard: The defending champions lost some power to graduation last year, but their core is on a mission to win a second title. . . . The Bobcats have been in the quarterfinals eight of the past nine years and in the semifinals six of the past nine.
Front Range Christian Falcons
Coach: Dave Sherman
Record: 16-4
Hot at the plate: Brothers Michael and RF Brian Fast can hit. Michael leads off, is hitting over .500 and has good wheels for a catcher.
Menace on the mound: They might not have an ace, but Mark Nyhoff, David Valle and John Ross are three arms that can get it done.
Around the yard: The strength is good pitching, better defense and solid hitting.
Limon Badgers
Coach: Les Layton
Record: 12-5
Hot at the plate: C-P Matt Brown is hitting over .500 and has power to all fields. . . . 1B Chester Ewing leads the team in RBIs.
Menace on the mound: Brown’s ERA is less than 1.00 and he has struck out more than 100 batters.
Around the yard: Brown is a special player who makes the rest of the team roll.
Sanford Indians
Coach: Mike Rodriguez
Record: 13-3
Hot at the plate: Ty Crowther and Austin Edgara are hitting over .500. . . . Tommy Caldon, Todd Crowther, Brett Jackson and Ty Mortensen are hitting over .360.
Menace on the mound: Edgara is the guy. He has a sub-3.50 ERA.
Around the yard: The Indians haven’t been hammering teams, but they’ve shown they can get a lead and hold on to it.
Brian Forbes, The Denver Post
