SJBL four-peat complete, ’Cats rip Vikings 

Considering how much talent was lost to graduation last May, it wouldn’t have been unreasonable to wonder whether Ignacio Baseball could maintain its hold on the 2A San Juan Basin League in 2025. 

Any such questions, however, have been emphatically answered in the affirmative. 

And after locking up a fourth consecutive SJBL crown Tuesday, April 22, with a doubleheader sweep (9 to 8, 14 to 2) at home of Nucla, the Bobcats roared into a 4/26 pair at non-league Center and made sure the Vikings heard them loud and clear. 

Stuck in free-fall after racking up 20 runs in a season-opening road win at non-league Hoehne, CHS’ slide reached 13 games as IHS cruised to victories of 23-1 and 25-2. 

And the tone was set immediately, as Ignacio (12-3 overall, 8-1 SJBL) scored six times in the top of the twinbill’s first inning and polished off the opener with seven runs in the fourth and nine more in the fifth, before silencing Center defensively in the bottom of the inning. 

Isiah Valdez’s ’Cats then got Game 2 underway with seven runs and began the second inning leading by five after the Vikes (1-13, 0-4 2A Southern Peaks) showed life. But after IHS responded with three runs and CHS then failed to counter in the home half of the second, Ignacio rode the proverbial carousel in the top of the third to 15 runs ultimately sealing Center’s fate. 

Ambrose Valdez and Tanner Smith each bashed a homer in the second blowout, and Smith totaled five RBI. He went 2-for-3, drew one walk and scored twice, while Valdez finished 3-for-3 with a hit-by-pitch, four runs scored and three batted in. Gabe Archuleta ended up 4-for-4 with two runs and four RBI, but finished a homer short of the cycle. 

Cole Wagner was 1-for-2 with a double, was plunked twice and matched Valdez’s four runs scored, but was the only ’Cat not to log an RBI. Easton Smith (2-3, BB, 2 R), meanwhile, plated three teammates; Stoney White Thunder (2-4, 2 R) and Joe Atencio (2-3, BB, FC, 3 R) each drove in two. 

In Game 1, all nine ’Cats registered at least one hit and scored at least one run. Leading the way, William Mendoza-Lechuga went 3-for-4 with a double, three runs and three RBI. Atencio ended up 1-4 but scored twice and knocked in three. White Thunder (2-4, HBP) and Easton Smith (1-3, 2 BB, RBI) each scored a team-high four runs, while Valdez (1-4, BB, 2 RBI) and Archuleta (1-3, 2 BB) scored three apiece. 

Miguel Red went 1-4 with a double, walk, run and RBI, and Wagner (BB, 2 HBP) was 1-2 with two runs and two RBI. 

Action continues for Ignacio on Saturday, May 3, with a rescheduled doubleheader at 11 a.m. versus 2A SPLers Sanford. Results of the Bobcats’ varsity single Tuesday, April 29, at 3A Bayfield (4-10 overall), as well as a slated 5/1 visit from 2A Western Slope force Cedaredge (13-1 as of 4/29) were unavailable at press time.