Blowing up for 11 first-inning runs in the second game of a home doubleheader Saturday, the Ignacio Bobcats suddenly were minutes away from their third consecutive win in the wake of a 6-5 loss on the 8th at 4A Kirtland (New Mexico) Central.
After only three innings, IHS’ lead had ballooned to 19-1 and that was that for visiting South Park, blown out 19-3 in the first game of the day’s pair between the teams.
Ignacio improved to 4-4 overall with the wins while South Park fell to 1-8 overall with the losses.
For the ’Cats, building upon a 6-1 victory at Nucla, Ignacio’s first 2A/1A San Juan Basin outing, the previous afternoon, the hit parade was a positive indicator of the team’s readiness to resume league work Tuesday at Dove Creek.
Already 2-0 in league thanks to a two-game sweep of NHS back on April 2, Dove Creek stood 5-5 overall before the game against Ignacio
Results of the clash out in Dolores County were unavailable at press time.
In the second game against SPHS, sophomore Ambrose Valdez went 3-for-4 with a double, three runs scored and three batted in. Sophomore Stoney White Thunder also knocked in three while finishing 2-for-2 with two walks, a triple and three runs scored. Senior Phillip Quintana also drew two bases-on-balls and tripled once in finishing 1-2 with three runs and two RBI. Classmate Devante Montoya (W; 3 IP, R, 2 BB, 8 K) went 1-1 with a double, walked three times and scored four runs. Fellow senior Rylan Maez ended up 1-2 with a double, two walks, three runs and one RBI.
The Burros started off well and scratched out two runs in the top of the first inning before Ignacio answered with four. Unable to equalize in their half of the second, SPHS’ chances disappeared in the bottom of the inning as the ’Cats churned out 11 runs and increased their lead to a safe 15-2.
Quintana ended up 3-for-3 with a double, walk and four runs scored. Montoya went 0-2 but drew one base-on-balls and also reached base via a hit-by-pitch, scored three runs and plated one. Valdez also scored three runs and knocked in one as he finished 0-2 – reaching base twice via error and twice via base-on-balls. Sophomore Sonny Flores went 1-1, was plunked once and walked once, scored one run and drove in another.
Montoya went 0-2 but was also walked once and tagged once, and was credited with three runs and one RBI. Reaching base once via error, freshman William Mendoza-Lechuga went 2-4 with two runs. Maez was hit by a pitch and drew one walk in finishing 1-2 with two runs and one batted in, while senior Marcus Maez went 1-3 with a double, walk, run and RBI.
Able to work through some control problems on the mound, White Thunder (0-2, 2 BB, 2 R) earned a complete-game, four-inning win, giving up just one earned run while walking six and striking out four.
After facing DCHS, Ignacio will next play Friday, April 19, at home (start time 1 p.m.) versus 3A Bayfield.
