One big inning sent the Broncos past the Demons.
Durango High School went on the road to New Mexico to face Kirtland Central and went home with a 12-1 loss. The game was tied 1-1 after the top of the fourth inning, but four runs in the bottom of the fourth and another seven in the fifth put the game away for the Broncos.
DHS fell to 1-4 with the loss, while Kirtland Central improved to 7-2.
“We had a lot of base on balls and blew up one inning,” DHS head coach Eric Baker said. “We just can’t shut down the big inning right now. It’s been a nemesis for us is allowing teams to put up big crooked numbers. On a day where you’re not hitting well, it makes it tough.”
DHS was held to only three hits to seven for Kirtland. The Demons got on the board with one run in the top of the first, and Kirtland tied the game in the second. Four fielding errors were costly for the Demons along with the walks issued.
Elias Fiddler pitched 3 1/3 innings for the Demons before he was relieved by Gage Mestas.
“Elias looked pretty good. He’s got quality stuff,” Baker said. “But, right now, he has a tendency to blow up a little bit. When it gets bad, it goes quick. We gotta figure out how to have an issue, have something happen to you and then turn it around. I’m confident he’ll get that figured out, but right now it’s a process.”
So, too, are the fielding issues, Baker said.
“We’ve got a lot of younger kids – a bunch of sophomore on the team adjusting to varsity,” he said. “We’ve got some athletic kids who have a lot of skill, but varsity is a different level to step up to. Right now, we’re still figuring it out.”
Baker said he is a hopeful a trip Tuesday to Falcon will help the team come together.
The Panthers of Montezuma-Cortez needed only six innings to finish off an 11-1 run-rule win to close out the Ignacio High School baseball invitational.
Montezuma-Cortez (2-1) received a strong start from junior pitcher Preston Davidovich, who went 5 1/3 innings of two-hit ball. He struck out 12 and walked four and allowed only one run.
IHS (0-3) had some errors and walks in the loss. Starting pitcher Holland Roukema went five innings and gave up five runs, though only two were earned. He walked six and struck out five. He only gave up three hits.
At the plate, Roukema was 1-for-2 with a walk and a run scored. Mike Archuleta had the run batted in. Ryan Medina led the Panthers at the plate with four RBIs, as he went 3-for-4 with a double and also scored twice. Carson Yoder went 1-for-2 with two RBIs, while Ty Blackmer drew two walks that forced in runs. Colby Baer scored three times and had an RBI despite going 0-for-3 at the plate. He was hit by a pitch.
IHS will be back in action next Saturday at Paonia and Hotchkiss. The Panthers next face Del Norte on Tuesday at home.
jlivingston@durangoherald.com
