Ravens su er a rough week

BY JONATHAN MANESS SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

THORNTON -It has been a challenging week for Riverdale Ridge coach Ray Garza and his baseball squad.

e Ravens, who started the week undefeated and No. 2 in Class 4A, dropped all three of their games last week. Losing twice to league rival Severance 14-4 and 3-1 in a double-header on ursday and then losing a tight contest to Niwot on Saturday 9-8.

“We have a big target on our back,” Garza said. “Everybody wants a piece of us right now and we need to play better.”

Riverdale (5-3 overall and 0-3 in Class 4A Longs Peak League) was on a terror to start the season, rolling through the Greenway Festival tournament in Arizona. ey beat Peoria (Ariz.) 10-2, Moon Valley (Ariz.) 15-0 and Greenway (Ariz.) 20-12. ey then returned to Colorado to defeat Horizon 12-11 and Erie 11-10. e early success helped the Ravens skyrocket from their No. 10 preseason rankings to No. 2, but it has been overshadowed by Riverdale’s recent slide - which has Garza concerned.

“We are struggling right now,” the coach said. “(Our team) doesn’t have winnings as a priority and it’s my job to gure out how to get back on the winning track.” e Ravens had a better showing in the second game, but once again were down early after the Silver Knights got runs in the rst and second innings. Hunter Hendrixson had an RBI single to drive home Alber for Riverdale’s only run.

One issue has been the slow starts for Riverdale, as the Ravens fell behind early in each one of their losses.

Against Severance, the Silver Knights scored four runs in the rst inning of the rst game to put Riverdale in a big hole early. ey held an early 11-0 advantage after three innings. e Ravens did get runs late from Dylan Hoodak, Dakota Aiber, Ean Abegg and Austin Williams but it was too late. Williams and Elijah Lofton both had two hits in the losing e ort.

Hoodak, Ty ompson and Josh Weber each pitched for Riverdale.

Senior Jaiden Villarreal had a strong showing on the mound, he struck out seven and allowed only one earned run in ve innings.

Niwot jumped out to an 8-0 advantage on Saturday and kept the Ravens shutout for the rst ve innings. Riverdale nally showed life in the sixth, rallying back to tie the game. Lofton led the rally with a 2-run home run and Hoodak hit an RBI single. However, Niwot scored the game-winning run in seventh. Lofton had four RBIs in the losing e ort.

“It’s frustrating,” Garza said. “Hard pill to swallow, but I’m going to stay positive. Hopefully we can get back to the winning ways. Right now, we are just trying to stay above .500 - that’s going to be our goal.”

Riverdale has a busy week of league contests, with a rematch with Niwot Tuesday and two games against ompson Valley ursday and Saturday.

Tandard Blade S

Contact us: 143 S. Second Pl., Brighton, CO 80401 - 303-566-4100

Mailing Address: 750 W. Hampden Ave., Suite 225 Englewood, CO 80110 Phone: 303-566-4100

Web: TheBrightonBlade.com

To subscribe call 303-566-4100

LINDA SHAPLEY Publisher lshapley@coloradocommunitymedia.com

MICHAEL DE YOANNA Editor-in-Chief michael@coloradocommunitymedia.com

SCOTT TAYLOR Metro North Editor staylor@coloradocommunitymedia.com

BELEN WARD Community Editor bward@coloradocommunitymedia.com

STEVE SMITH Sports Editor ssmith@coloradocommunitymedia.com

LINDSAY NICOLETTI Operations/ Circulation Manager lnicoletti@coloradocommunitymedia.com

TERESA ALEXIS Marketing Consultant Classified Sales talexis@coloradocommunitymedia.com

AUDREY

Columnists & Guest Commentaries

Columnist opinions are not necessarily those of the Blade. We welcome letters to the editor. Please include your full name, address and the best number to reach you by telephone.

Email letters to staylor@coloradocommunitymedia.com

Deadline Wed. for the following week’s paper. To opt in or out of delivery please email us at circulation@ coloradocommunitymedia.com patients, with hopes that will lower the cost for privately insured patients.

“Moving forward, we are going to start being able to negotiate prices on more drugs under the Medicare program,” he said..”If what happens with insulin happens with other drugs, we should begin to see the prices go down and not just for the people on Medicare but for everyone.”

Comments

Moderated by Lily Griego, a regional director of the federal Health and Human Services Department, the roundtable discussion included local Caraveo supporters from ornton and Greeley. But Colorado o cials from the Polis Administration, the AARP and City of ornton were also on hand to listen.