Control deserted the Durango High School pitchers against Montrose on Saturday.

The Demons walked 13 batters, hit three of them and allowed five runs on wild pitches in a 16-0 loss in five innings.

“We put a lot of people on base (Saturday),” DHS head coach Rob Coddington said. “Montrose put pressure on us, and we got beat.”

It didn’t help that the CHSAANow.com Class 4A No. 1 team had its top starter, Tyrus Lopez, pitching well.

He threw all five innings only allowing two hits and striking out nine.

“He just pounded the strike zone and forced the issue,” Coddington said.

Montrose (8-0, 2-0 Southwestern League) scored two runs in the first inning and led 3-0 after two.

The Indians exploded for eight runs in the fourth, and Lopez struck out the side in the fifth to end the game.

“We got on our heels because they were scoring runs on us. It’s hard to come out of a hole like that,” Coddington said.

DHS (4-4, 0-2 SWL) has now lost three of its last four games.

The Demons play their first home game of the season against Grand Junction at 3:30 p.m. Friday.

That starts a five-game homestand for DHS that lasts through April 19.

“I think our guys like to play at home. They like to play in front of their friends and their families,” Coddington said. “It’s always a welcome thing for us to play home games in April.”

heraldsports@durangoherald.com