GREELEY – Despite more than two decades of coaching experience under his belt, Manitou Springs baseball coach Cory Archuleta can easily pinpoint his most special group of ball players.

It’s the group he has right now.

And his Mustangs are giving Archuleta one more day to enjoy them.

Starting pitcher Travis Struble dominated No. 8 Kent Denver and the No. 11 Mustangs tied a season high with 15 hits in a 10-3 thrashing of the Sun Devils on Saturday to advance to Sunday’s Class 3A final day of the high school sports season.

“We’ve got a chance to do something pretty special,” Archuleta said. “We’ve done something special already, but like I said the other day we’re not just happy to be here. We want to do some damage, and we want to keep winning some games.”

Manitou will open Sunday against No. 2 University, which the Mustangs defeated last week 10-9. It’s an elimination game, with the winner advancing to the title game against No. 5 Faith Christian and the loser going home.

It was Archuleta’s son, Dominic, who got things going. Dominic Archuleta belted a 0-1 pitch over the left field fence for a three-run home run in the second inning. The Mustangs batters added another run in the third before eight batters came to the plate in a four-run fifth, putting

Manitou Springs was ahead 8-0 before Kent Denver could generate any scoring.

“I think once somebody gets a hit it just floods the whole dugout,” Dominic Archuleta said. “Everybody gets confidence, positive, and it shows. Everybody starts smoking the ball. It started with my home run today and it kept going.”

All those runs and hits made things easy for Struble. It also helped that the coaching staff gave Struble a week off. Other than throwing a small side bullpen Friday, the senior starter was allowed to get a full week of rest.

Struble went 6 2/3 innings – removed because he hit the rules-imposed 110-pitch limit – giving up all three runs on six hits. He struck out nine, including four in the second inning.

“I felt completely rested, ready to go,” Struble said. “I don’t usually get a full week of rest because the season always has games. . From the start I felt probably as good as I felt all season.”

Cory Archuleta has enjoyed the playoff run. And neither he nor his players are ready for it to be over.

“This season is special to me because it’s my last season with my son as a senior,” Cory Archuleta said. “But this team is just crazy, all these kids are family to me. It’s just been a whirlwind.

“I’ve been doing this for 23 years . this is by far the most special group because they like each other.”

Dominic echoed his father’s sentiments.

“I wouldn’t want to be on this ride with anybody else,” Dominic said.