IHS goes 12-2 during month of April
Having already clinched the 2A/1A San Juan Basin League championship, Ignacio Baseball wrapped up regular-season league play Monday afternoon, April 29, drubbing Dove Creek 16-3 in five innings at IHS Field.
Only two calendar squares removed from sweeping 2A Southern Peaks Leaguers Sargent 23-0 and 20-4 out in the San Luis Valley, the Bobcats broke out for six runs in the bottom of the first against the Bulldogs, and led 11-0 by the time DCHS finally got on the scoreboard in the top of the fourth.
Ignacio, however, responded to Dove Creek’s three runs with five in the bottom of the inning, and the guests then went quietly in the top of the fifth as the ’Cats (13-5 overall, 5-1 SJBL) won their fourth straight game and 12th out of 13 since a one-run loss at 4A Kirtland, N.M., Central in their first game of the month.
Sophomore Ambrose Valdez went a reported 2-for-3 against DCHS with a walk, two runs scored and three batted in. Senior Devante Montoya was 2-4 with a double, two runs and two RBI, while sophomore Stoney White Thunder was 1-3 with a double, walk, two runs and two RBI. Senior Rylan Maez went 2-3 and was also hit by a pitch, but scored a team-high three runs.
Senior Phillip Quintana (W, CG; 5 IP, 2 BB, 2 HB, 9 K) drew a walk and ended up 1-3 with two runs and one batted in. Sophomore Gabe Archuleta was 2-3 with two runs, and freshman William Mendoza-Lechuga finished 0-1 but reached base once via error, walked twice and scored twice.
Dealt a ninth consecutive loss after taking a 4/6 doubleheader from 2A Western Slope Leaguers Parachute Grand Valley, statistics for the Bulldogs (5-11, 2-4 SJBL) had not been fully tallied and reported as of press time.
At SHS on the 27th, Ignacio stormed out to an 8-0 lead through half an inning in Game 1 against the Farmers and cruised to a three-inning victory after registering 11 runs in the top of the third. White Thunder went 3-4 with a run and two RBI to lead the way offensively, and Valdez went 2-4 with a double but, thanks to also reaching twice via error, scored four runs and plated three. Senior Marcus Maez also scored four times as he ended up 1-2 with a walk and a hit-by-pitch.
Rylan Maez, Montoya, Archuleta and sophomore Sonny Flores each scored three runs as Quintana (CG; H, BB, HB, 5 K) had run support of which any pitcher dreams. In Game 2, however, the Bobcats led just 2-1 after the first inning and began the fourth leading by a vulnerable 4-2 margin, but then blew up for ten unanswered runs.
Still not yet finished, IHS then added six more in the top of the fifth. Senior Wade Dunbar belted a homer and ended up 2-3 with a walk, three runs and three RBI, while Quintana finished 2-4 with a double, three runs and three RBI. Valdez went 3-5 with a double, run and one RBI, while Flores knocked in two as he ended up 1-4 with two runs scored. Rylan Maez drew three walks and finished 0-2 with two runs.
Montoya was credited with the win after working 2-1/3 innings, giving up two hits and allowing two earned runs, walking four Farmers and fanning four. White Thunder (2.2 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 K) also logged time on the hill.
The ’Cats will next host SPLers Center on Saturday, May 4, for a twinbill presently slated to start at 11 a.m. Ignacio will then welcome 3A Pagosa Springs for a 3 p.m. varsity single on the 7th, and close out regular-season action on the 11th with a pair versus Westcliffe-based Custer County – another SPL squad – beginning at 11a.m.