The Durango High School baseball team came up short in a comeback bid during the Demons’ 5A/4A Southwestern League opener Friday at DHS.
Swirling winds made it difficult in the field for the Demons, who gave up 14 hits on the way to a 10-6 loss to Grand Junction.
“For the most part, we had a really good approach (at the plate) all day,” Grand Junction head coach Justin Little said. “There were a couple innings where we got off a little bit, but we got it back. We had some clutch two-out hits; we scored a lot of runs on two outs. Those tough, gritty at-bats were awesome.”
Seven of the Tigers’ 10 runs came with two outs.
The Demons (5-3, 0-1 SWL) found themselves down 8-0 after the top of the third inning and rallied back to make it 8-6 before the Tigers (5-6, 1-0 SWL) tacked on two final runs in the top of the seventh inning to put the game out of reach.
“I think those last two runs were the nail,” DHS head coach Eric Baker said. “That’s the tough thing. We were feeling like we were one little break away from breaking through. But that was a good two-out hit, and sometimes guys come through.”
In the first inning, Grand Junction got its lead-off batter Levi Prall on with a throwing error from DHS shortstop Gavin Mestas. Prall stole second base before Mestas redeemed his error with an unassisted double play when Sergio Moreno hit a line drive to Mestas and he tagged second base to double up Prall. The Demons got out of the inning the next play with a ground ball to Mestas, which he fielded cleanly and threw to first for the third out.
The Tigers put together a two-out rally in the second inning to take a 5-0 lead. Kole Kochevar started the rally when he doubled to left field when Durango’s Jayse Barush misjudged the ball and took a few steps in only to have the ball sail over his head. Two runs scored on the hit.
“The wind was swirling and it was a tough day,” Baker said. “I think early on if we didn’t give up that big inning, we would have been much better off.”
Dawson Weihl singled to drive in Kochevar, then Prall singled to right field and Weihl scored when a throw to third was off and rolled to the fence for the fourth run of the inning. Sergio Moreno laid down an RBI bunt single to score Prall to make it 5-0.
Grand Junction added three runs in the third. Chavis Nourse knocked a two-RBI double, then Jared Chapman drove in Norse with a single to center field.
Durango got its bats going in the bottom of the third.
With two outs, Max Hyson ripped an RBI single that scored Ryan Genualdi from second base. The Demons went on to load the bases for Keegan D’Aleo, who doubled to center field for two more runs. Then Dawson Marcum beat out a ground ball for an RBI infield single to put runners on the corners. D’Aleo later scored on a passed ball to make it 8-5.
“Mason (Naramore), my starting pitcher, he pitched great and went right after them. That inning it seemed like whatever we threw they were going to hit,” Little said. “Kudos to them, they can swing it.”
Durango added one run in the sixth with an RBI from Gage Mestas that scored Luke Napier.
The Tigers put the game out of reach in the top of the seventh inning with a two-out, two-run double from Prall that made it 10-6.
In the bottom of the inning, the Demons worked the bases loaded with two outs, but Napier struck out looking to end the game.
Naramore earned the win for Grand Junction after pitching five innings. He allowed nine hits, walked three batters and gave up five earned runs.
All nine Tigers recorded a hit in the game. Prall led the way with a 2-for-3 performance with a double, a walk, two RBIs and a run scored. Jared Hanks, Christian Hafey and Weihl all went 2-for-4, and Naramore went 2-for-3. Nourse and Kochevar drove in two runs each, and Moreno and Chapman added an RBI each.
Fynn Hyson took the loss for the Demons. He pitched five innings, gave up 11 hits and seven earned runs. He struck out five and walked only one.
The Demons finished the day with 11 hits, but stranded nine runners on base. D’Aleo finished the day 2-for-3 with two doubles and two RBIs. Genualdi went 3-for-4 with a run scored and two stolen bases. Gage Mestas, Max Hyson and Dawson Marcum drove in one run each.
“Up and down the lineup the guys are hitting the ball pretty well and there isn’t anyone who is really struggling,” Baker said. “The guys are getting some good hacks and hitting the ball hard.”
The two teams will meet again at 12:30 p.m. Saturday at DHS.
kschneider@durangoherald.com
