Falcon’s first win at Erdle Field came in dramatic fashion. And the Falcons don’t expect it to be their final victory.

Broden Cox’s RBI single in the bottom of the eighth sent Ethan Gentz home, gave the third-seeded Falcons a 4-3 victory against No. 8 Ponderosa Friday and set up a rematch against Pueblo County in Saturday’s 4A title game.

The Falcons (22-5) trailed 3-1 after the fourth inning but chipped away at the Mustangs’ lead with a run in each of the fifth and sixth innings to knot it at 3-3.

After a scoreless seventh inning from both teams, a Falcon double play gave Ponderosa two outs in the top of the eighth. The next two Mustang batters reached base, but the Falcons escaped the inning unscathed to set up the game-winning run in the bottom of the eighth.

Brayden Millikan pitched seven innings for the Falcons, threw 97 pitches, struck out three and allowed six hits.

The Falcons will play at 10 a.m. Saturday at Erdle Field against No. 5 Pueblo County, which sent Falcon to the fourth-round consolation game last week after their showdown in the semifinals, which the Hornets won 11-6.

Since Pueblo County won last week’s contest, the Hornets require just one victory to secure the championship. Falcon needs two wins to earn the school’s first title since 2008 when the Falcons won the 4A boys cross country championship.

If Falcon defeats Pueblo County in the opening game, the Falcons and Hornets will play the series finale at 12:30 p.m. at Erdle Field.

Pine Creek drops 5A fourth-round consolation game to top-seeded Arvada West

After the Eagles beat Legend 12-9 in the third-round consolation game, they struggled to find runs against Arvada West.

Pine Creek, 5A’s fourth seed, lost 2-1 to top seed Arvada West in the fourth-round consolation game and the Wildcats held the Eagles to five hits. Pine Creek also tamed Arvada West’s batters, but the Wildcats’ final of five hits in the bottom of the seventh scored the game-winning run and eliminated the Eagles from the tournament.

Jake Holm pitched 6 1/3 innings for the Eagles and retired four batters. Five Eagles had at least one hit, including Tristan Mullis, who also had Pine Creek’s lone RBI. Cruise Reid had a run and a hit for the Eagles. Pine Creek ended the year 24-6.

The Classical Academy falls 7-6 in 3A third-round consolation

After trailing No. 6 D’Evelyn 7-2 after the top of the fifth, the fourth-seeded Titans closed the gap to 7-4 in the bottom of the inning and cut it to 7-6 in the bottom of the sixth after runs from CJ Mullen and George Frillman.

But the Titans’ rally fell short as the Jaguars kept TCA off the board in the final inning and ended The Classical Academy’s season. Mullen had a game-high four hits, three runs and a pair of RBIs. Ezekiel Kimmig struck out seven in five innings for TCA. The Titans finished the season 20-8.