Confident that their split of a doubleheader three days earlier in Bayfield had clinched them a place in the fast-upcoming 2026 3A baseball state tournament, the Pagosa Springs Pirates arrived Tuesday afternoon in Ignacio relatively assured of inclusion, but wanting to insure themselves against exclusion.
After the hosting Bobcats, tamed in Game 1 at IHS Field, managed to put up three runs in the bottom of the first inning beginning Game 2, PSHS answered with a tying three in the top of the second. Five more came across home plate in the guests’ third, then one in the fourth, two in the fifth, and a demoralizing three in the sixth.
Down 14-3 and needing a miracle to stay alive, the Bobcats managed to scratch out two evening-prolonging runs in the home half the inning. But Pagosa Springs countered with one run in the seventh, and Ignacio managed just one in reply as the visitors completed an authoritative 15-4, 15-6 sweep.
Senior Gabe Archuleta, who saw time both behind the dish and on the bump in Game 2 for IHS, went 3-for-4 with a triple and two runs scored in the closing contest. Senior Ambrose Valdez whacked two doubles and ended up 2-4 with a run and one batted in.
PSHS sophomore Taylor Wells, who tossed a six-inning, two-hit complete game in the day’s opener, with 4-5 with a double, triple and two runs scored.
Senior Kaeden Iguchi (6 IP, 5 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 5 K) started on the mound and earned the Game 2 win, outdueling IHS’ Archuleta (L; 4.2 IP, 2 BB, HB, 3 K) and Flores (2.1 IP, 2 K).
The Pirates’ raid, however, began almost immediately in Game 1; Valdez struck out leadoff hitter Zach Pouyer, but then walked Sebastian Gonzalez and starting pitcher Wells. Sowle then bounced out to shortstop, bumping his ’mates each up a bag, and Limebrook then belted a double to left-center to plate both. Valdez (L; 0.2 IP, H, 4 R, 4 ER) then walked Noah Bellina, and IHS head coach Isiah Valdez elected to bring freshman Stephen Romero in from first base to try extinguishing the growing fire.
But PSHS’ Jonny Moncada (2-4, 2 R, RBI) and Dempster (3-4, 2 R, RBI) cracked successive RBI-singles, and also would come around to score via a throwing error after No. 9 hitter Hudson Davis grounded to short. Pouyer then flew out to left, not missing an extra-base smash by much, and the ’Cats at last had their first chance to begin chipping into the Pirates’ 6-0 lead.
Which they ably did; Archuleta (0-2, BB, HBP, 2 R) reached via error and Flores was hit by a pitch, then Romero (0-3, R, RBI) reached via a fielder’s-choice grounder scoring Archuleta but forcing Flores (0-1, HBP, BB) out at second. Valdez (1-2, BB, R) and Atencio walked, and Maez then grounded to first baseman Moncada, who chose to try starting a possible 3-6-3 double play.
With Max Mendoza batting, Maez was then given the sign to test catcher Sowle’s arm and try swiping second. The throw, however, was off-line and Valdez scurried home via the error.
Sowle (2-4), however, inflicted more upon Ignacio in the top of the second, hammering a one-out triple to deep left-center and plating Wells (2-3, BB, 2 R), who’d singled. Unfortunately for the Bobcats, already minus regulars Stoney White Thunder-Lucero and William Mendoza-Lechuga due to injury, Mendoza needed to be carried off after hurting a leg while trying to track Sowle’s shot down.
Sowle’s courtesy runner, Gabe Lister, would then score via a wild pitch to Limebrook, and though Romero (5 IP, 14 H, 11 R, 6 ER, BB, HB, K) got out of the jam by getting Limebrook to pop up to short and then picking Bellina off first base after issuing the sophomore a walk, time seemed to already be working against the ’Cats.
Romero held Pagosa Springs scoreless in the third and fourth innings, but the Pirates got to him for four in the fifth, two runs via a Gonzalez double to right-center, and then three in the sixth before Flores replaced Romero.
Closing out regular-season action with three consecutive wins, after suffering a two-game thrashing in Durango plus a loss in the first of two games at Intermountain rival Bayfield, the Pirates improved to 13-10 overall while remaining 3-5 in league.
Still with work to be done, Ignacio dropped to 10-10 overall (7-2 2A/1A San Juan Basin) with a Tuesday regular-season finale versus La Jara-based 3A Centauri still slated. IHS’ doubleheader on Friday against troubled 2A Southern Peaks member Trinidad (0-10 overall), however, has already been forfeited to the Bobcats.
