DOLORES COUNTY – Despite being ahead 2-0 after one inning and 4-1 going into the bottom of the third, the Ignacio Bobcats were unable to remain unbeaten in 2A/1A San Juan Basin League baseball action. The hosts from Dove Creek rallied to win Tuesday’s game, 11-5.
DCHS (7-6 overall, 2-2 SJBL) responded with three runs in the third, tying the score at 4, then posted three more in the home half of the fourth, two in the fifth and – after the ’Cats managed to scratch out one – two in the sixth.
Junior Hunter Daves (W; CG) went the distance on the mound for the Bulldogs, outdueling IHS senior Eppie Quintana (L; 5.1 IP, 11 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 2 HB, 4 K). Quintana was victimized by a reported seven fielding errors, leading most of Dove Creek’s runs to be deemed unearned. Junior Devante Montoya struck out both DCHS batters he faced in short relief.
Senior Cole Taber scored three runs for the ’Dogs, while Daves and junior Taber DeJane each scored two. Juniors Gage Buffington, Aiden Chadd and Mike Coffey each scored a run, as did sophomore Liam Hassell.
Junior Phillip Quintana (2-3, 3B, RBI) scored two runs for Ignacio, while Eppie Quintana (1-3, RBI), Montoya (2-3, 2B) and freshman Stoney White Thunder (0-2, BB) scored one apiece.
IHS (6-4, 3-1 SJBL) will next visit Bayfield (11-3, 4-0 3A Intermountain) for a 3 p.m. start on Friday. The Wolverines are well-rested after last dominating Alamosa (9-5, 2-2 IML) at home on Saturday, 11-1 and 15-3.
Freshman Tavian Box ended BHS’ offensive onslaught in the twofer with a fourth-inning grand slam, giving him six RBIs and two runs scored in Game 2 as he went 3-for-4 with a double. Senior Jackson Queen (W, CG; 5 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 1 ER) then shut the Mean Moose down in the top of the fifth, enacting the 10-run mercy rule.
Senior Lance Mazur recorded a complete-game victory in Game 1, striking out 12 AHS hitters in five innings while allowing just two hits and issuing three bases-on-balls. In his own support, he went 3-4 with a double, a homer, two runs scored and six batted in. Senior Nic Twedt scored four times. Twedt went 2-2 with a double and a triple, drew a walk and was also hit by a pitch.
The ’Cats will then host 2A Trinidad (6-8 overall) for a nonleague doubleheader beginning at 11 a.m. on Saturday.
DCHS, meanwhile, will travel to Nucla on Saturday for a doubleheader beginning at 11 a.m. Still 0-2 in SJBL play, the Mustangs improved to 6-5 overall on Tuesday by gashing nonleague 2A Grand Valley 23-2 and 19-0 up in Parachute.
