Three unearned runs in the bottom of the sixth doomed the Durango Demons to an 0-3 start to the season.
The Durango High School baseball team posted four runs in the top of the third inning Saturday morning against New Mexico’s Grants High School on the final day of the Farmington Scorpions Invitational at the Farmington Sports Complex.
The 4-0 lead wouldn’t last, as the Grants Pirates scored six runs in the bottom of the fourth. Still, the Demons tied the game with two runs in the top of the fifth and took an 8-6 lead with two more in the top of the sixth. But three runs in the bottom of the sixth for Grants (3-4) helped by Durango errors helped the Pirates pick up a 9-8 victory.
The Demons tallied 12 hits to nine for the Pirates, who were led by Austin Hall’s 3-for-4 day with two doubles at the plate. He had two runs batted in and scored once.
Sten Joyner led the Demons at the plate, as the junior was 3-for-4 with a double, three RBIs and a run scored. Elias Fiddler, a sophomore, was 1-for-3 with a double, two RBIs and a run for the Demons. Senior Dawson Marcum was 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored, while sophomore Gage Mestas went 3-for-5 with two runs scored.
Fiddler pitched four innings for DHS. He allowed six runs on six hits and three walks, and he struck out three. Al Hurworth pitched one inning of relief. He allowed two hits but didn’t surrender a run. Joe Pope went 1 2/3 innings for DHS. He allowed one hit and one walk, but three unearned runs crossed as DHS had two errors.
Andres Torrez pitched six innings for Grants. He allowed 11 hits and two walks. Of the eight runs against him, six were earned. Isaac Gallegos finished the game with a perfect seventh inning in which he struck out two.
Durango will try to pick up a win at 3 p.m. Tuesday at Aztec (3-2), which beat the Demons 16-7 on Thursday.
The Wolverines fell short of a fifth-place finish in Farmington.
Bayfield High School (1-2) fell 6-0 to the host Farmington Scorpions on Saturday at Ricketts Park.
Jake Brandon took the loss on the mound in 3 1/3 innings pitched. He allowed only two hits but walked three and hit another batter. He struck out two, and only one of the three runs that crossed under his watch was earned.
Hayden Farmer went 1-for-3 and was stranded on third base for BHS, as Farmington pitcher Jordan Vickers allowed only one hit in five innings. He didn’t walk a batter and struck out six.
Farmington (2-1) took a 2-0 lead after three innings and extended it to 3-0 after four. A big three-run fifth inning put the game away.
BHS will head to the Delta tournament for three games Friday and Saturday.
jlivingston@durangoherald.com
