In their final game of the regular season, the Colorado Springs Sky Sox fell 11-2 to the host Tacoma Rainiers on Monday afternoon.
With the loss, the Rainiers edged the Sky Sox to win the Pacific North Division of the Pacific Coast League.
Colorado Springs starter Samuel Deduno (0-1) allowed four runs in 5 2/3 innings, and Scott Munter allowed six of Tacoma’s seven runs in the eighth inning. The Sky Sox managed only five hits and struck out 10 times.
The Sky Sox led the division nearly the whole season, and even led Tacoma by 7½ games just a few weeks ago. But Colorado Springs lost 10 of its last 16 games, while Tacoma won 13 of its final 16 games — including nine in a row from Aug. 22-30.
Colorado Springs headed into the final four-game series against Tacoma leading the Rainiers by two games, but the Sky Sox lost three of the four games to allow the Rainiers into the playoffs.
The two teams finished the season with a .514 win percentage to tie for the division lead, but Tacoma held a better percentage against division opponents, giving the Rainiers the title.
Adams State, Mesa Sate players honored.
Adams State junior Bryant Williams was named the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference football defensive player of the week. Williams had a career-high 12 tackles and made his second interception of the year in the Grizzlies’ loss to Humboldt State. He leads the RMAC in passes defended with five.
Griffin Chernoff of Mesa State was named the special-teams player of the week after returning a punt 57 yards for a touchdown in the Mavericks’ loss to Missouri Western.
Nebraska-Kearney wide receiver Kyle Kaiser was named the offensive player of the week, posting his fifth career 100-yard receiving game in the Lopers’ win over Nebraska-Omaha.
ASC’s Jennings-Calkins named volleyball player of week.
Adams State volleyball player Darcy Jennings-Calkins was named the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference offensive player of the week.
Jennings-Calkins led the Grizzlies to a 3-0 weekend at Fort Lewis College’s Skyhawk Volleyball Classic. She had 47 kills and hit .346 over the tournament.
Metro State’s Amy Watanabe was named the defensive player of the week. Watanabe tied a career high with 33 digs in Metro State’s 3-2 win over No. 3 West Texas State in the final match of the Colorado Premier Challenge tournament on Saturday.
