On Saturday, the Fossil Ridge High School baseball team (7-2) hosted the Columbine High School Rebels (3-3) in a non-conference matchup. Fossil looked to regroup after a tough loss against rival Poudre while Columbine sought their second consecutive win. Fossil starting pitcher Keaton Sysum threw the opening pitch at 11:00 AM MST, and the game was set at Fossil.

Right-handed starter Sysum cruised through the first two innings, allowing minimal damage on the base paths. Columbine starter Jacob Gimbel did so as well. It wasn’t until the top of the third inning that the scoreboard was cracked. Jack Eastwood came in relief for Fossil and gave up an RBI single to Columbine’s Dylan Jutze, who then advanced to second on the throw home. Jutze advanced to third on the following groundout and scored on a wild pitch. Columbine went up 2-0 at the end of three.

Fossil ended Jacob Gimbel’s shutout in the bottom of the fourth when Ridge Bowolick blooped a two-out single into center, scoring Tim Abercrombie. Fossil added another baserunner but was unable to score further when outfielder Dillon Henninger was called out on strikes with two runners in scoring position. Columbine was able to hold their 2-1 lead.

Fossil then received another incredible scoring chance in the bottom half of the fourth. After Fossil’s Knutsen launched a deep one-out triple to right field and Thaniel Thumper walked, Fossil had runners at the corners for Talen Townsend who attempted a suicide squeeze. With the bunt right back at the pitcher Gimbel, Townsend was out at first, moving Thumper over to second but stranding Knutsen at third. Gimbel then struck out Abercrombie to avoid damage.

The next half inning, Fossil’s Eastwood found himself in trouble after giving up a single and two free passes. Eastwood struck out Columbine’s Cole Collins, but Caleb Conrad, on a two-out full count pitch, lined a single up the middle for a base hit, driving in Matthew Anderson and Joseph Hammond to extend the Rebels lead to 4-1.

The following half inning, Fossil had runners at first and second after two walks. Columbine head coach Brooks Roybal went and got his starter Gimbel (ending a terrific start for the senior), and then signaled to the bullpen for left-hander Brady McLean. McLean struck out two consecutive Fossil batters, maintaining the lead with one inning left.

Columbine didn’t threaten in their half of the seventh as Nathan Novak came in relief for Fossil and recorded a one, two, three inning. Fossil headed to the bottom of the seventh down by three.

Fortunately for Fossil, their comeback quest became reality. After Novak singled on a ground ball up the middle and Knutsen walked, Fossil’s Jack Cosper came up to the plate representing the tying run. Cosper, on a fastball right down the middle, lifted a high, deep fly ball to center field. The ball hit the bottom of the wall, and Cosper raced around second and slid into third head first for a two-run triple! Two batters later, Sysum smoked a line drive into the left-center field gap to even up the score at four and the game was headed to extras.

Coach Masi stuck with Novak in the top of the eighth, and Novak dominated with yet another one, two, three inning. Fossil entered the bottom half of the eighth with the game still tied. Columbine used their third pitcher of the game when they brought in southpaw Mark Thurman to relieve McLean. Fossil’s Trumper led off with a single to left. Henninger then bunted a Thurman fastball down the first base line and ended up reaching on an error by the Rebels. With runners at the corners, Novak came up to the plate with a chance to walk it off. On the first pitch, Novak grounded the ball to second baseman Collins, who threw the ball to catcher Jutze in an attempt to stop Trumper from scoring. However, on a magnificent slide, Trumper scored the winning run, giving Fossil an incredible come from behind victory! Fossil improved to 8-2 on the season while Columbine dropped to 3-4 before Monday’s action.

UPDATE: On Monday, Fossil lost a heartbreaker at home against the Mullen High School Mustangs. Mullen started the scoring with two runs in the top of the fourth. Fossil countered with two runs of their own in the bottom of the fifth. In addition, Fossil gave up two go-ahead runs in the top of the sixth but returned the favor once again by scoring two runs of their own in the bottom half, bringing the game back to even at four. Unfortunately, Fossil suffered a run in the top of the seventh that would eventually be the decider. Mullen ended their three-game losing streak by defeating Fossil 5-4. As a result, Fossil is now 8-3 on the season.