Roosevelt County 11-12s post 2nd win

Freedom New Mexico

SANTA FE — The Roosevelt County All-Stars whacked five home runs and advanced to the winners bracket semifinals of state 11-12 Little League competition on Saturday, cruising past Espanola Valley 11-4.

Roosevelt County, which beat Gallup 11-1 in its opener on Friday, will take on either Cobre or Albuquerque Roadrunner in a 1 p.m. clash today.

Catcher Matt Martinez hit two of Roosevelt’s County’s homers, including a three-run shot which made it 10-1 in the top of the fourth. Josh Jimenez and pitcher Daniel Scnchez each hit two-run homers and Luis Valladeres added a solo blast in a five-run third.

Overall, the District 3 champions collected 10 hits. Meantime, Sanchez threw a six-inning complete game, allowing four hits with four strikeouts.

In the 10-11 state tournament at Albuquerque, Roosevelt County dropped its second consecutive game, losing to Albuquerque Westgate 7-6, and was eliminated.

Roosevelt County took a 3-0 lead inthe top of the second on run-scoring singles by Omar Legarda and Payton Chavez and an RBI double by Drew Jackson, but Westgate scored five in the fourth to take the lead.

Roosevelt County tied it in the fifth on RBI singles by Chavez and Jackson before Westgate won it with a run in the bottom of the sixth.

Kersey Burnett pitched into the sixth inning for Roosevelt County, with Grant Wagner finishing up.

The district’s other teams, out of Clovis, each won once. The American 9-10s lost to Carlsbad Shorthorn 6-4 on Friday before rallying past Taos 12-7 on Saturday.

American faces White Rock in a 10 a.m. elimination game today.

In the 13-14 tournament at Deming, Zia lost to Albuquerque Altmont 12-7 on Friday, then routed Taos 11-1 on Saturday before losing an elimination game to Los Lunas Enchantment 10-3.