Summoned off the bench Tuesday afternoon for the only starter stuck hitless, junior Timmy Plehinger delivered unto the Ignacio seniors a gift of production.
Called in to spell sophomore third baseman Kai Roubideaux, Plehinger made a fine back-handed squeeze of a short-hopped grounder. He fired perfectly to second baseman Chance Hine to force out Bryce Raymond, and Hine then zipped the relay to first baseman Andrew Martinez. That got out the Pagosa Springs Pirates' leadoff batter and completed a demoralizing 5-4-3 double play to end the top of the fourth inning.
Their 12-5 advantage preserved, the Bobcats then wisely took out some extra insurance in the bottom half, and Plehinger provided a crucial punch. Pinch-hitter Juanito Medina led off, popping to Pagosa's Keaton Laverty, but after Hine walked against reliever Adolfo Valenzuela, Plehinger whacked an RBI-double to left.
"Seems like we give up two or three runs every first inning, every game, so we have to come back and answer," said Hine, alluding to Springs' two-run start countered by Ignacio's three-run response, which was highlighted by Hine's two-RBI flare double to right. "That's good we start strong-maybe not defensively, but we always hit."
Martinez (2-3, BB, 3 R) then singled Plehinger to third, and though he'd eventually be picked off by the catcher Raymond, IHS kept momentum with senior Joe Herrera walking and senior Anthony Manzanares knocking an RBI-single to center to plate Martinez for a nine-run lead which would stand to be the final score.
"We just took what was given us and.just kept putting it on them," said Herrera (1-1, 2 BB, 2 R).
"Senior Day.final home game.every senior on this team today put out; there wasn't one I saw that didn't get on base," he continued. "Everyone was playing like a team. If we had an error, you know, it was let go like nothing-we just kept moving forward."
The Pirates tried their best to keep pace, tying the non-league game at 3-3 in the top of the second, but the 'Cats-starting with a walk to Martinez, then consecutive singles by Herrera, Manzanares, sophomore Kruz Pardo and senior Tucker Ward-clawed out six runs off senior Briar Erskine (L; 3 IP, 9 H, 12 R, 8 ER, 2 BB, HB, 6 K) in the home half.
Again, PSHS tried regenerating some sort of heat with two more in the top of the third off senior Austin McCaw (W; 5 IP, 8 H, 5 R, 4 ER, BB, 4 K), but Ignacio struck back and scratched out three-Martinez, Herrera, Manzanares, the latter two both hustling home on a Ward groundout to shortstop Zach DeVooght-to provide McCaw and later Pardo (2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, BB, 3 K) more than enough scoreboard support.
"We put the ball in play, made them make plays, and we didn't decide whether we struck out or not-we were swinging the bat," Pardo (1-4, 2 R, 2 RBI) said. "I mean.in Nucla we came out thinking we were going to win and didn't.. We wanted to make sure we came out here and got the win we need."
"This last loss we took against Nucla, we definitely needed it," said Herrera of the April 23 wake-up from the Mustangs. "Today it was 'This is our season, this is our time, this is our year!' And it's time to go get 'em."
Improving to 11-4 overall, while staying 6-1 in the 2A/1A San Juan Basin League, IHS' production was top-to-bottom versus Pagosa Springs, with Manzanares (3-4, 2 R, 3 RBI), Pardo, Ward (1-3, HBP, 2 R, 3 RBI), Martinez and Herrera each scoring two or more times.
Junior Zach Weinreich was 1-2 with a run and a ribbie, and McCaw finished 1-4 with one of each before being presented-along with classmates Manzanares, Ward, Hine, Martinez, Herrera and junior-varsity standout 'DT' Meshew-with parents to the IHS Field faithful one last time for posterity.
"We just wanted to win for their last home game," said Pardo. "Send 'em out on a good note."
"It was fun," Hine said. "That was my goal; I just wanted to have fun, and.win at the same time!"
"I couldn't be more happy than to have such an exit, you know what I mean?" said Herrera.
Seeking the SJBL championship, the Bobcats' regular season was to end yesterday at Dolores but results were unavailable at press time.
"Just want to go out and beat them pretty bad," Hine said.
"No worries at all; we shut 'em out last time at home," said Herrera. "Last year was a bit of a rivalry with them, this year.they aren't getting the upper hand on us."
