A three-run bottom of the fifth inning led the Piedra Vista Panthers past the Durango Demons in the opening round of the Piedra Vista Invitational baseball tournament at Ricketts Park in Farmington.
Durango fell 4-2 to the Panthers on Thursday afternoon. In four games at Ricketts Park to open the season, the Demons have lost all four games by a combined five runs.
Gavin Mestas and Max Hyson drove in runs for the Demons in the loss. Hyson was 1-for-3, as was Mestas. Kegan D’Aleo and Peyton Woolverton were also 1-for-3 and scored runs for Durango, which had five hits in all with another coming from Jacob Bourdon. Hyson’s double and Mestas’ triple were the team’s lone extra-base hits.
Tyler Ruetschle pitched a complete game for the Demons. He allowed seven hits and four runs in six innings. He struck out five and walked only one.
Despite the strong play against good teams to open the season, the Demons are winless. They’ll try again Friday for the first win of the season at 12:30 p.m. against Albuquerque Academy, another first-rate program in New Mexico.
jlivingston@durangoherald.com
