IHS sweeps Custer County on Senior Day
Knowing how his team would likely fare against a struggling Senior Day foe, Ignacio skipper Isiah Valdez and his assistants felt it best Saturday, May 11, to send visiting Custer County back to Westcliffe as fast as possible.
“Honestly, that’s why I’m pitching today,” senior Phillip Quintana explained. “We were going to go with some of our other pitchers and try to warm them up (for postseason play), but Coach wanted to get out of here quick. So that’s what we did.”
“Some other teams, you know, that we play … they’re good clubs but a little lesser quality, and it’s kind of hard sometimes to stay motivated and really rise to the occasion,” said Valdez. “I preach that we’ve got to treat every team like they’re the best we’re playing. We’ve got to step on their throats early and not let off … because we’ve got some big games coming up.”
And after posting a four-inning, 15-0 ‘mercy-rule’ win in Game 1 of the doubleheader, IHS exploded for 14 runs in the bottom of the first inning in Game 2 and coasted to a 20-0 conquest in three – concluding regular-season work with a fifth shutout win, while also atoning for an unfortunate 5-4 loss on the 7th to 3A Pagosa Springs.
“We should have won that game,” Quintana said. “But today we just needed to come back, get some more confidence; these were good games to do that. That’s what I tried to do, and that’s what all our boys tried to do.”
“We’re a pretty good hitting team,” senior Devante Montoya said. “Came out slow, but at the end we really started hitting the ball like we know how.”
But though the like-named Bobcats arrived in reduced number, they came hyped after strong efforts versus 3A Florence (the game was deadlocked, 12-12, going into the ninth inning but halted by lack of daylight and declared a draw) on the 7th and in 2A Southern Peaks action at South Park (running out of available and/or eligible pitchers, the Burros’ staff decided to concede defeat, 9-2, in Fairplay after just two innings) on the 9th. And for their determination the baseball gods granted them a slight reward.
With Custer County down to their last out in Game 1, and Quintana having struck out eight of the preceding nine hitters, a sudden and stiff wind gust disrupted his rhythm just before he began his windup. And the you’ve-gotta-be-kidding-me smirk on his face only widened; after resetting himself atop the mound, Quintana pitched to CCHS’ Taylor Bradford – who not only made contact, but contact firm enough to bounce the ball high over Quintana and with enough pace to then split shortstop Montoya and senior second baseman Marcus Maez for a single breaking up Quintana’s no-hitter.
“We were lucky to get a hit there at the end,” said grinning CCHS head coach Zach Bissell. “But kudos to (Quintana); he pitched his butt off and they played a great game. We almost found a way to push one (run) across … but couldn’t do it.”
The only other CCHS player to reach base against Quintana (W; 4 IP, H, 0 R, BB), senior Kelsyn Pool drew a third-inning walk, but after advancing to second via a wild pitch to sophomore Doc McCoy and then stealing third base, was stranded after Quintana struck out McCoy, junior Wyatt Grundy and sophomore leadoff man Ty Stoltzfus in succession. Each went down looking, and Quintana totaled ten Ks.
Offensively, Montoya went 3-for-4 with a triple, two runs and three batted in. Ambrose Valdez went 1-3 with a run and one RBI; Gabe Archuleta was 1-3 with two runs and three RBI; William Mendoza-Lechuga was 2-2 with a walk and three runs scored. Stoney White Thunder was 2-2 with a double, sacrifice fly, two runs and three RBI, and Marcus Maez went 0-1 but walked once, was plunked once by Bradford (L; 2.2 IP, 15 R, 6 BB, HB, 2 K) and scored twice.
In Game 2, Montoya no-hit Custer County (2-20-1 overall) while scattering four walks and striking out five. In his own support he went 2-for-3 with a walk, three runs and one RBI. Valdez was 2-3 with a triple, two runs and three batted in; senior Rylan Maez was 2-2 with two walks, three runs and two RBI.
Senior Wade Dunbar-Berger was 2-2 with a triple, walk, run and three RBI, and Archuleta 1-1 with two walks and three runs scored. Quintana (1-2, BB, R, RBI in Game 1) ended up 0-0 but drew four walks and scored as many runs, while White Thunder finished 1-3 with a double, two runs and two RBI.
“We really just came wanting to have a little fun in our last games of the year,” Bissell said. “We had a couple that weren’t able to travel – one broke his arm, one had soccer – so we were down, but we’re a young team and looking to bring them all back next year so we can grow and get better.”
Standing 17-6 overall, Ignacio’s postseason destination was not yet known – due to regular-season games still being played statewide – as of press time. Early Tuesday morning, May 14, the ’Cats stood 18th in CHSAA’s Selection & Seeding Index for Class 2A, though their win total was equaled at the time by only No. 2 Denver Christian (17-4 overall) and exceeded by only No. 3 Las Animas (19-2) and top-ranked Limon (22-0).
“Against Pagosa, we had a couple uncharacteristic errors by guys that don’t normally make errors, but … that’s just the thing; when you get complacent it comes back to bite you,” Coach Valdez said. “We’ve corrected some of those mistakes we made, and we’re going to look to not make those moving forward.”