Arriving at third base with an ear-to-ear grin after a stand-up triple, Timmy Plehinger's joy was rivaled by only that of head coach Bert Miller, eyes clenched shut and smashing his hands together in a celebratory clap.
Being that the bottom of the seventh inning had just begun, Ignacio's second of two games at SunUte Field versus 2A/1A San Juan Basin League nemesis Dolores was technically far from over. The Bobcats still needed to bring Plehinger home to snap a 5-all tie.
Miller's body language within the third-base coach's box, however, showed no doubt they would.
Unlucky this season in games decided by three runs or less prior to hosting the Bears last Saturday, IHS improved to 3-6 in that department after sweeping the doubleheader by scores of 10-9 and 6-5-after 9-hole hitter Joe Herrera (1-3, RBI) smacked a grounder to third baseman Tel Hamilton, who then threw wide of first baseman Kitty Wallace as Plehinger (2-3, 2 R, 2 RBI) made his break for home plate.
Building upon two-hit, 3-RBI work in Game 1, Plehinger finished 2-3 in Game 2 with two runs and two more RBIs on a key two-out single off Dalton Madden in the bottom of the first, capping Ignacio's initial five-run jumpstart in reply to Madden's game-opening score.
And though DHS (7-8, 5-4 SJBL) managed to get their second- and third-inning leadoff batters aboard and around, and later put across two-out scratches in the sixth and seventh against Juanito Medina (W, CG; 7 IP, 10 H, 5 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, HB, 3 K), Miller stuck with his young right-hander. Medina froze 7-man Tommy Nelligan for Dolores' third out in the seventh with potential go-ahead runs stuck at first and second.
Juniors Tyler Beebe, Austin McCaw and Tucker Ward-the 1-2-3 sticks in IHS' order-each scored one run in Game 2, as did senior 4-man Iaasic Peña, and all were part of the Bobcats' first in which Beebe (1-3) led off with an infield single, McCaw drew a walk, and Ward, Peña and 5-man Andrew Martinez were each hit by a pitch.
Peña (0-2) and Martinez (0-1, BB) each picked up an RBI by being plunked.
Victim of a Bears rally in Game 1 after taking over pitching duties for Ward (ND; 4 IP, 2 R, 10 K), Peña (2 IP, 7 R, 5 ER) got the 'W' on the mound and McCaw threw the seventh inning to pick up a save.
Peña had two hits and drove in two runs, and Nathan Atencio also two and two before going 0-3 in Game 2.
Up next for the 'Cats (5-12, 3-6) will be 2A-District 2 Tournament play, with a scheduled 9 a.m. start today against Meeker up at Delta Middle School. Representing the Western Slope League, the Cowboys will go in standing 6-12 overall.
The winner will then advance to play Hotchkiss (17-2) at 3 p.m. in the semifinals, with that winner then playing for the championship-against either Dolores, Rangely, Paonia or Cedaredge-tomorrow at 10 a.m.
NO LIFEGUARD ON DUTY: Ignacio's scheduled regular-season finale Tuesday at 3A Pagosa Springs was most definitely rained out; the dirt parking lot behind Strohecker Field's left-field fence, made into a muddy mess by heavy rain, hinted at the possible condition of the infield, and IHS' players simply practiced at SunUte instead.
