Taking advantage of absurdly windy weather at IHS Field, Dove Creek freshman force Hayden Gray hammered not only a first-inning ground-rule double, but managed to crack another two-bagger over centerfielder Joe Herrera in the visitors' third and soon come around to score his second run as the Bulldogs quickly built up a promising 4-1 advantage.
Having belted a first-inning triple himself, however, Herrera then scored twice, the second time via a groundout to DC shortstop Ty Smith by senior Kai Roubideaux in the home half of the third. Ignacio ended up scoring the most in winning their 2A/1A San Juan Basin League opener 7-5.
Senior catcher Nate Herrera's fourth-inning single brought home senior shortstop Trace Lovelace to tie the contest at 4-all, and the Bobcats hustled for two more in the bottom of the fifth as Lovelace singled to left, scoring senior Marcus Chapman. Then senior Cole McCaw, dancing around third base, goaded DC catcher Kieron Huskey into a throwing error on the same play and also came in to touch home.
Dove Creek managed to get one run back in the top of the sixth, as IHS reliever Ian Weinreich plunked Smith with the bases loaded and one out, but the righthander managed to then strike out both Gray (2-4, 2 R, RBI) and designated hitter J.D. Dennison (1-4, 2 RBI) to kill the potential rally.
A seventh-inning single for Dove Creek then put two 'Dogs on base with one away, but Weinreich (2 IP, 3 H, R, BB, 5 K) fanned Gauge Thompson and then got leadoff threat Derek Kibel to bounce to Lovelace, who in turn jogged to second to force an out and close out the game.
Touched for three runs in the top of the first, pitcher Roubideaux then settled in to scatter just three hits during the next four innings and earn the win on the mound, pitching five innings. He issued three walks, but struck out twice that number to keep the Bulldogs at bay.
Joe Herrera finished 3-for-4 batting with one RBI, while Lovelace finished 2-3 with a run and an RBI.
Nate Herrera ended up 2-for-4 with a run and a ribbie, McCaw was 1-3 with two runs and Chapman 1-3 with a walk.
Kibel took the loss for DCHS, surrendering five runs in four completed innings with Smith (2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 K) relieving him in the bottom of the fifth after both Roubideaux (2-4, RBI) and Chapman reached. He issued one walk and struck out two.
Following up on a 17-5 road win at non-league 2A Rangely and a 7-6 loss to 2A Meeker last Saturday, Ignacio improved to 4-5 overall, 1-0 SJBL, while Dove Creek dipped to 4-5, 0-1.
Up next for the Bobcats will be a SJBL clash with defending, but re-tooling Class 1A State Champion Nucla at 1 p.m. Friday. That is followed by a league game versus Dolores at 3 p.m. on Monday, April 9. Dropping to 3-6 overall, 0-1 in league, the Mustangs lost 7-6 at Dolores (2-6, 1-0) Tuesday afternoon.
