Cats rally, post split with Eagles

Jayden Jameson found his game just in time Thursday night.

The senior right-hander struggled through a five-run Hobbs second – two errors in the frame didn’t help – before blanking the Eagles over the next four innings as Clovis High posted a come-from-behind 8-6 win in the second game of a District 4-5A doubleheader at Bell Park.

Hobbs clinched a series win with a 17-12 verdict in Game 1 behind a nine-run third. The Cats (12-10, 2-4 district) close the regular season with three games against Roswell High this week – a 5 p.m. single game here on Thursday night and a 4:30 p.m. doubleheader the next night in Roswell.

Jameson walked five of the first 10 batters he faced, but the Cats stayed in contention with the help of a bases-loaded double play to end the first. Sophomore designated hitter Cole Kesner’s two-run double capped a five-run second, though, which put Hobbs in front 6-2.

Jameson scattered three hits and issued just two walks from the third through the sixth. Meantime, Clovis took advantage of wildness by Hobbs sophomore right-hander Luke Parris, who walked six in the first two frames, and pulled to 6-5 with a three-run second.

”He settled down,” CHS coach Richard Cruce said of Jameson. “He was trying to be too fine earlier.”

The Cats added single tallies in the third, fifth and sixth to take the lead.

Freshman shortstop Javi Jimenez put the Cats in front with a bases-loaded sacrifice fly in the fifth before junior second baseman Quinn Culiver’s RBI triple provided an insurance run.

Senior Bernie Lopez gave up a leadoff single in the seventh, but struck out the next three hitters to earn a save.

“I’m proud of the kids,” Cruce said. “They battled all night.”

Cruce is hoping his team can sweep Roswell High and get some help from Carlsbad this week against Hobbs to perhaps moved up to second in 4-5A, although he thinks a third team from the district might be able to sneak into the 16-team Class 5A tournament field.

“It’s going to be tough, but it’s doable,” Cruce said. “I think if we (finish second), we could possibly become a 12-seed.”

Clovis outhit the Eagles 9-8, with Jimenez and junior right fielder Koby Rivera both going 2-for-2 while Lopez knocked in three runs with a groundout and a two-run single.

Kesner went 2-for-4 with three RBIs for the Eagles (13-9, 4-2), while seniors Kanyon Johnson and Xavier Alvarado added two hits apiece.

In the opener, Hobbs erased a 4-3 deficit with a nine-run third that included seven singles and three hit batsmen. Junior Jax Piepkorn tried to keep the Cats close, blanking the Eagles through the fifth, but Hobbs added five runs over the final two frames.

Clovis scored three in the sixth and four in the seventh, capped by Rivera’s three-run homer over the right field barrier.

Parrish and senior Jaysiah Martinez each had three of Hobbs’ 16 hits, including a two-run double by Martinez in the sixth, while four others finished with a pair of knocks.

Rivera and senior Nathan McIntosh both posted four RBIs for the Cats, with McIntosh finishing 4-fo5 with a double and Rivers going 3-for-4 with a double and two runs scored.

Hobbs 8, Clovis 2 (Wednesday) – In the series opener, the Eagles scored three in the third to erase a 1-0 deficit, then broke it open with a four-run fifth.

Hobbs made the most of five hits, helped by six bases on balls from Clovis pitching. Martinez allowed three hits and one run over six innings, and also delivered a double and an RBI at the plate.

The Cats finished with five hits as well, led by Jimenez with 3-for- 4, a double and two runs scored. Rivera put Clovis in front briefly with a third-inning sacrifice fly, while the Cats got their second tally in the seventh on a double-play grounder.