IHS wins three, including SJBL opener
Blowing up for 11 first inning runs in the second game of a home doubleheader Saturday, April 13, the Ignacio Bobcats suddenly were minutes away from their third consecutive win in the wake of a 6-5 loss on the 8th at 4A Kirtland (N.M.) Central.
And after only three innings, IHS’ lead had ballooned to 19-1 and that was that for visiting South Park, blown out 19-3 in Game 1 of the day’s pair. Considering the Burros (1-8 overall so far in 2024; 3-17 in ’23) had been blown out 20-1 and 20-0 last spring up in Fairplay, one could perhaps say their showing at IHS Field was an improvement.
For the ’Cats (4-4), building upon a 6-1 victory at Nucla – Ignacio’s first 2A/1A San Juan Basin outing – the previous afternoon, the hit parade was a positive indicator of the team’s readiness to resume league work Tuesday, April 16, at Dove Creek.
Already 2-0 in league thanks to a two-game sweep of NHS back on April 2, the Bulldogs, meanwhile, stood 5-5 overall but entered the twinbill on a three-game slide after losing 9-4 and 21-18 (in nine innings) at home to 2A Western Slope member Rangely (4-4 overall) while IHS was busy smacking South Park.
Results of the clash out in Dolores County were unavailable at press time.
In Game 2 against SPHS, sophomore Ambrose Valdez went 3-for-4 with a double, three runs scored and three batted in. Sophomore Stoney White Thunder also knocked in three while finishing 2-for-2 with two walks, a triple and three runs scored. Senior Phillip Quintana also drew two bases-on-balls and tripled once in finishing 1-2 with three runs and two RBI. Classmate Devante Montoya (W; 3 IP, R, 2 BB, 8 K) went 1-1 with a double, walked three times and scored four runs. Fellow senior Rylan Maez ended up 1-2 with a double, two walks, three runs and one RBI.
In all, each Bobcat seeing action scored at least once – as had been the case in the first contest.
To be fair, the Burros started off well and scratched out two runs in the top of the first inning before Ignacio answered with four. Unable to equalize in their half of the second, SPHS’ chances disappeared in the bottom of the inning as the ’Cats churned out 11 runs and increased their lead to a safe 15-2.
Quintana ended up 3-for-3 with a double, walk and four runs scored. Montoya went 0-2 but drew one base-on-balls and also reached base via a hit-by-pitch, scored three runs and plated one. Valdez also scored three runs and knocked in one as he finished 0-2 – reaching base twice via error and twice via base-on-balls. Sophomore Sonny Flores went 1-1, was plunked once and walked once, scored one run and drove in another.
Montoya went 0-2 but was also walked once and tagged once and was credited with three runs and one RBI. Reaching base once via error, freshman William Mendoza-Lechuga went 2-4 with two runs and one ribbie. Maez was hit by a pitch and drew one walk in finishing 1-2 with two runs and one batted in, while senior Marcus Maez went 1-3 with a double, walk, run and RBI. Also, a HBP victim, sophomore Gabe Archuleta ended up 0-3 with a run and two batted in.
Able to work through some control problems on the mound, White Thunder (0-2, 2 BB, 2 R) earned a complete-game, four-inning win, giving up just one earned run while walking six and striking out four.
After facing DCHS, Ignacio will play next Friday, April 19, at home (start time 1 p.m.) versus 3A Bayfield, then quickly pack up to begin traveling to 2A Trinidad for a non-league doubleheader the next day beginning at 11 a.m.