The Bobcats punched above their weight class Tuesday, but it didn’t show in the final score.
An impressive season for the Ignacio High School baseball team (10-4, 5-1 2A District 2) continued with a 14-5 home win against Pagosa Springs (2-9, 0-2 3A Intermountain League).
Ignacio Bobcats senior Austin McCaw kept the Pirates at bay and earned the win on the pitcher’s mound. He allowed eight hits and five runs – four earned – in five innings of work. He struck out four and issued one walk. At the plate, McCaw also went 1-for-4 with a run and one run batted in.
The Bobcats’ production came across the lineup once again. IHS senior Anthony Manzanares finished 3-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs scored. Andrew Martinez was 2-for-3 with a walk and three runs scored.
Chance Hine had a big day at the plate with double, three RBIs and a run scored on a 1-for-3 day. Ignacio senior Tucker Ward went 1-for-3, drove in three runs and scored twice. Kruz Pardo also got in on the run production with two RBIs and two runs scored on a 1-for-4 showing.
The Bobcats, led by second-year head coach Robert Miller, chased Pagosa Springs starting pitcher Briar Erskine after three innings. He allowed nine hits and 12 runs – eight earned – but struck out six. He walked two batters and hit another with a pitch.
The Bobcats will travel Thursday to Dolores for a doubleheader rescheduled after poor weather conditions pushed the games back last weekend.
Ignacio currently sits third in the league standings in a loaded 2A District 2. Paonia is in first at 18-0 and 7-0 in league, while Hotchkiss is 15-1 overall and 5-1. Hotchkiss and Paonia are set to face each other Friday.
The Ignacio junior varsity also played Pagosa Springs on Tuesday and won 25-2 to cap off a perfect season against Class 2A opponents. The JV Bobcats’ lone loss of the year came to Durango’s junior varsity.
heraldsports@durangoherald.com