Having secured a repeat 2A/1A San Juan Basin League baseball crown earlier in the week – via a 19-11, 3-9 split with Nucla out in western Montrose County – the Ignacio Bobcats continued playing well away from home on Saturday and crushed 2A Southern Peaks Leaguers Center 21-1 and 19-4.
Manufacturing a demoralizing 11 first-inning runs not long after arriving in the San Luis Valley, IHS quickly enacted the 20-run mercy rule and took the opening game in only three innings.
Senior Eppie Quintana went 3-for-4 with a double, three runs and two batted in to lead the way offensively in support of junior Rylan Maez (W, CG; 3 IP, 2 H, ER, 6 BB, HB, 4 K). Maez was given a spot start on the mound as opposed to his usual placement at first base, and in his own support went 2-3 with a double, a triple, a walk, three runs scored and as many batted in.
Junior Phillip Quintana smacked two doubles, was hit by a pitch, and ended up 2-3 with four runs and two RBIs. Junior Devante Montoya went 2-4 with a double, three runs and two batted in. Freshman Stoney White Thunder went 2-3 with a walk, two runs and three RBIs. Junior Marcus Maez walked twice and finished 1-1 with three runs and one batted in.
Held to just a run beginning Game 2, Ignacio (12-7 overall, 4-2 SJBL) blew up for 12 in the top of the second inning en route to a four-inning triumph over the Vikings (2-15), who suffered their 10th consecutive setback.
Montoya went 3-for-4 with a double, three runs and five RBIs to lead the attack. Montoya also earned a complete-game win on the hill after scattering a reported five hits, walking just one Viking and striking out eight. Phillip Quintana cracked a homer and finished 1-for-4 (he also reached via error and via fielder’s choice) with a run and three batted in.
The only one of nine Bobcats utilized in Game 1 to not record a hit, senior Dylan McCaw went 2-3 in Game 2, was hit by a pitch, scored two runs and plated two. Also plunked by a pitch, Eppie Quintana ended up 1-3 with a double, three runs and one RBI. White Thunder went 1-3 with a walk, double, three runs and two batted in, Marcus Maez went 2-4 with two runs and one RBI. Reaching base via a walk and a hit-by-pitch, Rylan Maez ended up 0-0 with one run.
All told, head coach Duke Baker was able to get 11 individuals at least a plate appearance, and 10 logged at least a run.
The ’Cats will next see action on Thursday at 3A Pagosa Springs, then close out regular-season play with a doubleheader on Saturday at SPLers Custer County (6-12). First pitch in Westcliffe is set for 11 a.m.
1. IGNACIO 4-2. 2. Dove Creek 4-2. 3. Nucla 1-5. (Ignacio defeated DCHS twice in the teams’ three 2023 meetings.)
Winning the Class 1A-District 1 Tournament at IHS Field on Saturday with a 14-4 win over Blanca Sierra Grande and a 6-4 victory over DCHS, Nucla improved to 10-9 overall and will begin the Class 1A’s 16-team state tournament seeded No. 5. Nucla will first meet No. 12 McClave at 10 a.m. on Saturday.
The Cardinals (12-7) are back in their own uniforms after years of being part of a 2A-level co-op with Wiley, called the County Line Rivals. An entity existing for roughly a decade, CL fell to Trinidad in the 2022 CHSAA Class 2A State Tournament’s opening Round-of-32.
NHS and MHS will clash in the Region IV, hosted by Westminster Flatirons Academy (12-5-1) and also including No. 13 Colorado Springs Evangelical Christian Academy (11-5).
Dove Creek (11-8 overall), meanwhile, will next travel to Simla and face the Region III-hosting Cubs (13-5). Seeded No. 11, Wiley (14-6) will play No. 6 Haxtun (19-2) in the event’s other semi.
