Held hitless just before beginning Spring Break, Ignacio Baseball will look to get its bat attack restarted today on the road at non-league 2A Center. First pitch is scheduled for 11 a.m.
"We've got to come and play with confidence, come out and hit the ball," said freshman Juanito Medina, following last Saturday's 12-0 road loss in Durango to the 4A Demon JV. "Play with our heads up the entire game."
Which wasn't always easy against DHS right-hander Drew Selser, who allowed only bases-on-balls to senior Iaasic Peña leading off the visiting Bobcats' second inning and Raphael Herrera leading off their third while striking out eight in tossing a five-inning no-hitter.
Medina (1.2 IP, 6 H, 7 R, 2 BB, K) took the loss on the hill, with both Peña (1.2 IP, 5 H, 4 R, BB, K) and junior Austin McCaw (IP, H, R, BB) also called to the mound by Coach Bert Miller.
"Drew threw.really well. Around the plate, mixing it up well-we couldn't figure it out," he said. "And our defense just went away today; I mean.maybe two earned runs?"
"Our pitching, I thought, was fantastic again," he noted. "Our defense and bats left us."
And left IHS standing 2-3 overall before facing the Vikings, ranked #10 in the preseason CHSAANow.com Class 2A poll and beginning to look the part after ending a four-game skid with two blowout wins already this week.
"We'll practice hard.come back and give it another shot!" Miller said. "My feelings on all these 'preseason' games: Get all the kids in, play hard and hopefully we can get a win there!"
BAYFIELD BIG ON NEUTRAL GROUND: Class 3A's leading 'Receiving Votes' team in the most recent rankings from March 23, Bayfield traveled Wednesday afternoon to face St. Mary's (also an 'RV' team in the poll) in Alamosa at the Mean Moose's Ortega Middle School diamond.
Coming in 5-1 overall after doubling up 2A Ellicott, 6 to 3, on Tuesday in Colorado Springs, the Pirates suddenly suffered an apparent identity crisis and were no match for the Wolverines.
"We played pretty well," Head Coach Jon Qualls said, before revealing just how well: 18 to 3.
"Yeah, we hit the ball a little bit," he continued before stating that junior Zane Phelps went 3-for-3 with a homer, double and four RBI, and classmate Brody McGhehey was 2-5 and also whacked a homer and a double.
Besides earning the win on the mound, senior Matthew Knickerbocker (4 IP) and junior Taed Heydinger each went 2-3 at the plate, while Kelton McCoy and Noah Loutherback each went 2-4. Loutherback was credited with three ribbies. Phelps also pitched the fifth and last inning as Bayfield improved to 4-2 overall-despite neither hurler striking out a single batter but neither allowing an earned run.
Up next, the Wolverines are slated to host 5A Aztec, New Mexico, tomorrow at 11 a.m. The Tigers will come in standing 6-8 overall after a 12-2 loss at 4A Bloomfield, N.M., on Tuesday. This is the opening game on the new high school field. Free hotdogs will be served.
HORTON PSYCHED FOR BHS: Enjoying his new gig as head coach of the Durango JV, former Bayfield Coach Tom Horton said he's still got purple-and-gold flowing in his veins.
"I'm a hundred percent for Bayfield-look at Maxpreps after every game they play-and I think they'll go really deep this year," he said after the win over Ignacio. "They've got a great team, and I'm for 'em."
"I'm doing this because I love baseball. It gave me an opportunity-the head coach called me and asked if I'd like to coach-and I was all over it because I missed it a lot last year! My heart.will always be with them."
"We had a [preseason] scrimmage with Bayfield, and I hadn't told very many people that I was over here," he contined. "And when I walked out.there was a very funny feeling, you know? I knew all the parents-a couple called me a traitor, told me how bad I looked in red, black and white-and I got it! But they're good friends."
