Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Staff photo: Joshua Lucero Portales senior Omar Legarda beats the throw and slides safely into third base during the Rams Tuesday afternoon game against the NMMI Colts.
link Staff photo: Joshua Lucero
Portales senior Omar Legarda beats the throw and slides safely into third base during the Rams Tuesday afternoon game against the NMMI Colts.
STAFF WRITER
Kersey Burnett pitched a complete game and the Portales baseball team used a five-run sixth inning to take down New Mexico Military Institute 11-1 in the first game of a doubleheader Tuesday at Ram Field.
The Rams also won the second game by a score of 15-5.
“I was throwing a lot of strikes today, but my defense definitely helped,” said Burnett, who struck out two and walked one. “They made plays all afternoon behind me and that made my job easier. I can let the opponent hit the ball and just relax.”
The Rams were helped out by NMMI’s defense all afternoon as the Colts committed six errors and the Rams (15-7) scored their first two runs without the benefit of a hit. Grant Wagner reached on an error in the second, got to second on a wild pitch, reached third when Omar Legarda stuck out and reached as the catcher couldn’t find the ball and scored when Legarda stole second and the catcher made an errant throw.
Portales scored again in the third on two errors by NMMI’s shortstop.
“That’s kind of been their Achilles heel all year,” Rams coach Dusty Nusser said. “They’ve been in some games and baserunning and defense has let them down in some games and it was evident again today. They’re a young team and those things happen when your young, but they don’t give up and if you underestimate them, they will beat you.
Emilio Lovato went 3-for-4 with a run scored and had a two-run double n the fifth and Joe Ortega added a two-run single. Omar Legarda didn‘t get a hit but scored three runs.
“Kersey threw a heck of a game there,” Nusser said. “He got into some trouble early in the game. After that he found a rhythm and started hitting the zone and we got the bats to come out later in the game.”
NMMI scored its lone run in the fifth off a Francisco Galvez single, followed by a stolen base, wild pitch and error
In the second game, the Rams scored three runs in each of the first two innings. Wagner went 3-3 with two doubles and three RBIs and Darin Bonem went 2-4 with four RBIs.
Jacob Salgado pitched five innings giving up four runs, but only one earned and struggled with his consistency as he walked six. Draven Saiz and Lovato split the last inning in relief.
Tuesday
Baseball
Prep
Game 1
LINESCORE
Portales 11, NMMI 1
NMMI 000 010 — 1 4 6
Portales 011 225 — 11 7 2
Michael Hinjos, Mateo Fierro (4) and Jake Guerrero. Kersey Burnett and Matt Martinez.
W — Burnett. L — Hinjos. Top hitters — NMMI, Francisco Galvez 1-3 1B, run. Portales, Grant Wagner 2-3, 2B 2 runs; Emilio Lovato 2-3 run. Records — NMMI: 9-11, Portales 16-7.
Game 2
Portales 11, NMMI 1
NMMI 010 022 — 5 3 4
Portales 330 306 — 11 7 2
Gavin Mahoney, Haden Mahoney (4) Teryn Surratt (5) and Jake Guerrero. Jacob Salgado, Draven Saiz(6), Emilio Lovato (6) and Matt Martinez
W — Salgado. L — G. Mahoney Top hitters — NMMI, Francisco Galvez 1-3 1B, run. Portales, Grant Wagner 3-3, 2 2B 3 runs, 3 RBIs; Emilio Lovato 2-4, 3B, 3 RBI.
