Niwot baseball drops final three games

With three games left on the schedule, the Niwot High School baseball team needed to win out to solidify its chance for postseason play.

The Cougars, however, lost their final three games of the season, first to Northridge at home, 9-4 last Tuesday, then to Thompson Valley on Thursday 14-1 and Friday 6-2.

Against Northridge, Niwot had as many errors as they had runs scored while they continued to struggle with fielding down the home stretch of the season.

Senior Ford Ladd went five innings for the Cougars, giving up nine hits and seven runs, only four earned, while recording six strikeouts.

Senior Christian Cloar was the most effective player at the plate for Niwot, going 1-1 at the plate and driving in a run and walking twice. Senior Tyler Meek also had a RBI and went 1-3 for the Cougars.

On Thursday, despite having a better day fielding with only one error Niwot just couldn’t get their offense going and gave up too many hits, being out-hit by Thompson Valley 11-6.

Meek started the game on the mound for the Cougars, giving up six hits and eight runs in a little over three innings while striking out two batters. Senior Romey Clement was the most effective in relief, going one inning and giving up two hits and one run and recording one strikeout.

Junior Jake Sims went 3-3 at the plate for Niwot and had the only RBI on the day. Junior Hunter Stephens went 1-2 with a walk and scored the Cougar’s only run.

Friday’s game at Thompson Valley was closer, but the Cougars still dropped the game 6-2. Niwot was only out hit by the Eagles 6-5, but they gave up three crucial errors.

Junior Skyler Messinger went four innings giving up six hits and four earned runs while striking out seven batters.

Stephens was the best player with a bat for Niwot, going 2-3 with an RBI. Messinger also was effective at the plate going 1-3 with a run and an RBI.

With the losing streak the Cougars have dropped to 37th in the RPI and have to hope they are chosen for the playoffs by the committee on Wednesday, May 11 in the seeding meetings. With a 7-12 record, the chance of them being selected is slim but playing in the tough Northern League does work in Niwot’s favor.

Northridge (11-6) 201 221 1 — 9 10 1

Niwot (7-10) 200 000 2 — 4 5 4

W – Chacon. L – Ladd.

Northridge hitting (ab-r-h-rbi) — Kaylor Werner 5-1-1-0, Tayler Aguilar 4-1-1-1, Chance Eben 5-1-1-0, Jake Hammer 4-0-2-2, Giovanni Morfin 3-1-1-1, Trey Vasquez 4-1-2-1, Isidro Arellano Jr. 3-1-0-0, Jared Hinrichs 3-2-1-1, Korbin Reed 4-0-1-1, Chris Decker 0-1-0-0. Totals 35-9-10-7. 2B —Eben.

Niwot hitting (ab-r-h-rbi) — Joe Wilson 4-0-1-2, Jake Sims 2-1-0-0, Skyler Messinger 3-0-1-0, Ford Ladd 3-0-1-0, Tyler Meek 3-0-1-1, Christian Cloar 1-0-1-1, Hunter Stephens 3-1-0-0, Michael Agado 3-1-0-0, Zach Morgan 3-0-0-0, Joey Neve 0-1-0-0, Trevor Green 0-0-0-0. Totals 25-4-5-4. 3B — Wilson.

Northridge pitching (ip-h-r-er-bb-so) — Logan Chacon 7-5-4-2-2-4.

Niwot pitching (ip-h-r-er-bb-so) — Ford Ladd 5-8-7-4-2-6, Griffin Mitchell 2-2-2-1-1-1.

Thompson Valley (10-8) 500 360 0 – 14 11 1

Niwot (7-11) 010 000 0 – 1 6 1

W – Porter. L – Meek.

Thompson Valley hitting (ab-r-h-rbi) – Jeremy Wagonmaker 4-1-2-1, Adrian Juarez 3-1-0-0, Josh Lewis 2-2-2-2, Mike Berg 3-3-2-2, Bailey Porter 2-1-2-1, Kaleb White 3-1-0-1, Bryson Wells 3-3-2-1, Matt Berg 2-2-0-0, Austin Sobraske 3-0-1-1. Totals 25-14-11-9. 2B – Berg.

Niwot hitting (ab-r-h-rbi) — Joe Wilson 3-0-1-0, Jake Sims 3-0-3-1, Skyler Messinger 3-0-0-0, Ford Ladd 3-0-1-0, Tyler Meek 2-0-0-0, Christian Cloar 1-0-0-0, Hunter Stephens 2-1-1-0, Michael Agado 2-0-0-0, Zach Morgan 1-0-0-0. Totals 20-1-6-1. 2B — Ladd.

Thompson Valley pitching (ip-h-r-er-bb-so) – Bailey Porter 5-6-1-1-0-0.

Niwot pitching (ip-h-r-er-bb-so) – Tyler Meek 3.1-6-8-8-4-2, Griffin Mitchell .2-3-5-5-3-0, Romey Clement 1-2-1-1-0-1.

Niwot (7-12) 000 002 0 – 2 5 3

Thompson Valley (11-8) 041 100 x – 6 6 0

W – Quinn. L – Messinger.

Thompson Valley hitting (ab-r-h-rbi) – Jeremy Wagonmaker 3-1-1-2, Josh Lewis 4-0-0-0, Mike Berg 3-2-2-0, Bailey Porter 1-0-0-1, Mitch Zundel 2-1-1-0, Bryson Wells 3-1-0-0, Matt Berg 4-0-1-1, Austin Sobraske 1-0-0-0, Conor Quinn 2-1-1-1. Totals 23-6-6-5. 2B – Wagonmaker.

Niwot hitting (ab-r-h-rbi) — Joe Wilson 4-1-1-0, Jake Sims 4-0-0-0, Skyler Messinger 3-1-1-1, Ford Ladd 2-0-0-0, Tyler Meek 3-0-0-0, Christian Cloar 2-0-1-0, Hunter Stephens 3-0-2-1, Michael Agado 2-0-0-0, Zach Morgan 3-0-0-0. Totals 26-2-5-2. 2B — Wilson, Messinger.

Thompson Valley pitching (ip-h-r-er-bb-so) – Conor Quinn 5.2-5-2-2-3-5, Adrian Nava 1.1-0-0-0-1-0.

Niwot pitching (ip-h-r-er-bb-so) – Skyler Messinger 4-6-6-4-3-7, Hunter Stephens 2-0-0-0-2-1.