Powered by a five-run fourth inning, Ignacio baseball proceeded to pound visiting Monte Vista 9-3 in the first of two games Saturday at sunny IHS Field. The guests, however, regrouped and grabbed an 11-6 win later in the afternoon to split the doubleheader.
Jumping on the Bobcats for six second-inning runs in Game 2, MVHS (4-5 overall) ripped open what had been a 2-1 contest and forced the home team to play catch-up the rest of the way. Facing an 11-1 deficit going into the bottom of the fourth, IHS avoided a possible mercy-rule situation by scratching out two runs, then added another in the fifth.
Fighting until the end, Ignacio (3-3 overall, 2-0 2A/1A San Juan Basin) manufactured two runs in the seventh inning before the Pirates recorded the third and final out to get the split.
Leading the way offensively in Game 2 for Monte Vista, freshman Azariah Hurtado belted a home run and also doubled once in finishing 3-for-4 with three runs scored and a wicked six driven in. Freshman Domyon Naranjo went 3-3 with a walk and a run scored. Sophomore Kaden Mellott went 2-4 with two runs. Frankie Hernandez went 1-1 with a run, and drew three of the seven walks issued by Bobcat pitchers Stoney White Thunder (L; 1.2 IP, 8 R, 3 ER, BB, K) and Devante Montoya.
IHS head coach Duke Baker saluted Montoya’s long-haul relief effort; the junior threw 110 pitches while grinding through 5.1 innings and scattering three runs. Reportedly allowing six hits, Montoya walked six batters but struck out as many.
Allowing double digit hits, freshman left-hander Kobe Jiron still earned a complete-game win for the Pirates. Jiron also reached double digits in strikeouts (12) while walking just two ’Cats.
Junior Phillip Quintana led Ignacio by going 3-for-4 with a double, two runs and two RBIs. Senior Eppie Quintana went 2-3 with a triple, walk and two runs. Montoya ended up 1-3 with a walk and a run. Junior Rylan Maez also scored once in finishing 1-4 with an RBI.
In Game 1, Ignacio’s breakout fourth inning swelled a 2-0 advantage to 7-0, but Monte Vista spoiled Eppie Quintana’s shutout bid with one run in the top of the sixth. The Bobcats, however, answered with two runs in the home half before the visitors made their last stand in the top of the seventh.
Eppie Quintana got the complete-game win, throwing 89 pitches in seven innings while striking out eight, walking one and giving up three runs, one earned. At the place, Quintana finished 2-for-3 with a walk and three runs in his own support. Junior Marcus Maez went 1-2 with a walk, a hit-by-pitch, three runs and one batted in. Senior Dylan McCaw went 1-3 with two RBIs. Phillip Quintana ended up 1-2 with a double, walk, sacrifice fly and two RBIs. Freshman Ambrose Valdez finished 2-3 with a walk, run and one RBI. White Thunder went 1-3 with a walk.
Sophomore Kaden Madrid went 1-2 with a double, walk, run and one RBI for MVHS. Naranjo went 1-3 with a double and a run. Senior Andrew Chavez went 1-3 and scored once, while Hernandez finished 1-3 with one RBI in support of Mellott (L; 3.2 IP, 7 R, 5 ER, 4 BB, 5 K) and Hurtado (2.1 IP, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K).
Up next, Ignacio will host SJBLers Nucla – which slipped out of the CHSAANow.com Class 1A poll’s top-10 this week – at noon on Friday. The Bobcats will then pack up their gear as quickly as possible and board a bus for a long drive to Salida, and overnight stay, before arriving in far-off Fairplay on Saturday for a doubleheader at South Park (1-6).
With doubleheaders against MVHS and Del Norte now completed, plus those against South Park, Trinidad, Sargent, Center and Custer County all upcoming, one might think Ignacio had switched leagues this spring.
Not … exactly the case.
On Tuesday, Nucla Athletic Director (and assistant baseball coach) Kelly Arnold confirmed via email that IHS is still part of the San Juan Basin League for regular-season play – meaning Friday’s action against the Mustangs will be key towards Ignacio repeating as SJBL champion. For the postseason, however, the Bobcats will join the 2A Southern Peaks League teams for district-level play, while NHS and Dove Creek diverge into 1A-District 1.
