The future is bright for the Ignacio High School baseball team despite the season’s outcome.
It took the Hotchkiss Bulldogs eight innings to defeat the Ignacio Bobcats 4-3 in Saturday’s semifinal round of the 2A District 2 Tournament in Cortez.
“The whole team played really well,” Ignacio head coach Robert Miller said in a phone interview with The Durango Herald. “There were a lot of bang-bang plays (Saturday), and it came down to one or two plays. They left everything out there.”
Junior Zach Weinrich went seven strong innings on the pitcher’s mound for Ignacio (14-5). He struck out seven and allowed three runs.
“Our defense was exceptional, but Zach pitched some special baseball (Saturday). He played sensational” Miller said. “We kept them off balance; it was a fun game to be a part of.”
Sophomore Kruz Pardo’s defense was on display as he made three highlight-reel diving catches in the outfield. Pardo also went a perfect 4-for-4 with a run and a run batted in.
In what was quite possibly Ignacio’s best game all year, the Bobcats scored all three of their runs in the fifth inning. By the seventh inning, Ignacio held a 3-2 lead and a possible ticket to the Colorado High School Activities Association Class 2A Baseball Championships.
Hotchkiss (17-2) managed to tie the game at 3-3 in the bottom of the seventh and eventually scored the winning run in the eighth. Hotchkiss’ Eli Kirk got the win on the mound, as he went seven innings. Cesar Gonzalez earned the save.
“(Hotchkiss) threw their lefty, and he threw extremely well,” Miller said. “He kept our hitters off balance, but we kept swinging and putting the ball in play.”
Senior Anthony Manzanares went 2-for-4 with a double and RBI. Tucker Ward went 1-for-4 with a run scored, and sophomore Kai Roubideaux 1-for-3 with an RBI for the Bobcats.
After a 6-13 season a year ago, Miller’s squad is making strides toward being a top-notch baseball program. Despite graduating seven key seniors, Miller believes the future looks bright with his underclassmen. The junior varsity program went undefeated against Class 2A opponents this year.
“I think the future will speak for itself,” Miller said. “We have a good junior varsity team coming up. Weinrich and Juanito Medina should be sensational along with other juniors. I’m looking forward to next year, and I don’t think it will be a letdown.”
There is still a chance Ignacio can make the state tournament as a wild card team, as the top eight schools in the CHSAA RPI system that don’t win district tournament will earn spot.
Ignacio will learn its fate Sunday afternoon.
jmentzer@durangoherald.com
