The Ignacio High School baseball team split its doubleheader with Del Norte on Thursday at IHS. Del Norte won the first game 7-4, but Ignacio won the second game, 11-1, after just five innings due to the mercy rule.
In Game 1, the visiting Tigers scored three runs in the first inning, three in the third and one more in the seventh. The hosting Bobcats put across three in the bottom of the second and one in the fifth.
Eppie Quintana pitched a complete game for Ignacio and only gave up four earned runs, but took the loss. He struck out four, walked one and gave up 13 hits.
Nicholas Atencio got the win for Del Norte. Atencio also pitched a complete game, allowing five hits and three earned runs while striking out eight and walking two.
Phillip Quintana went 2-4 and scored a run for Ignacio. Eppie Quintana went 1-4. Zane Olguin went 1-3 with a double, a run and an RBI. Devante Montoya went 1-4 with an RBI.
Dante LeBlanc led Del Norte, going 3-4 with three RBIs.
Ignacio avenged the loss in Game 2.
With Del Norte starter Tyler Gallegos struggling, walking four of the first six hitters he faced, the Bobcats capitalized and scored six runs in response to the Tigers' early one, and never looked back.
Ignacio then closed out the win in style in the fifth. Montoya singled to center with one out, scoring Zane Olguin. Jacob Gallegos then mashed a double to the left-field fence, scoring pinch-runner Elliot Hendren. Hendren was running for Wade Dunbar, who walked after Olguin walked to start the inning. Eppie Quintana then singled to left to bring in Montoya and give IHS the walk-off win.
Pitcher Jacob Gallegos got the win for Ignacio, giving up three hits, one earned run, four walks while striking out five in 2.2 innings.
Montoya (0.1 IP, 0 R, 0 BB, K) and Phillip Quintana (2 IP, H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 K) also saw time on the hill for Ignacio.
Eppie Quintana went 4-4 with a ground-rule double, two runs and two RBIs. Jacob Gallegos went 2-4 with a double, a run and two RBIs. Montoya went 1-2 with a pair of walks, scored twice and had an RBI. Phillip Quintana went 1-2 with a walk and two runs. Jace Carmenoros went 1-1 with two walks, a run and an RBI.
