The 2016 season didn’t start the way the Wolverines wanted.
After fighting hard to tie the game at 1 in the sixth inning, the Bayfield High School baseball team went into extra innings Thursday at Ricketts Park in Farmington against New Mexico Class 6A Belen.
After recording two outs on two pitches in the top of the eighth inning, untimely walks by Bayfield and timely hits by the Belen Eagles led to a five-run inning. The Wolverines fought back with two runs of their own in the bottom of the eighth but fell short in the end, 6-3.
“We played solid defense most of the game. We really shot ourselves in the foot in the eighth,” BHS head coach Jonathon Qualls said. “They scored five runs with two outs. We walked a guy, gave up a hit, hit another guy and gave up another hit. Those were key walks, and they had some key hits.”
Two of Bayfield’s three runs were scored by Taed Heydinger, who twice scored on Zane Phelps hits, including a double in the sixth inning. Phelps scored a run of his own in the eighth inning on a passed ball.
Kelton McCoy pitched six innings and took a no decision. Brody McGhehey was charged with the loss in 1 2/3 innings of action, and Heydinger faced one batter to record the final out of the top of the eighth inning.
The loss came in the first round of Farmington High School’s tournament. Bayfield (0-1) fell to the loser’s bracket and will face Moriarty at 11:30 a.m. Friday back inside Ricketts Park.
jlivingston@durangoherald.com
