Clovis splits baseball doubleheader at Hobbs

STAFF REPORT

HOBBS — Clovis High’s baseball team bounced back from a tough first-game loss to beat Hobbs 11-5 and gain a split of Tuesday’s District 4-6A baseball doubleheader.

The Eagles won the opener 3-2, winning it on sophomore Tyler Mendoza’s two-out RBI single in the bottom of the seventh after the Wildcats (12-6, 2-2 district) tallied in the top of the inning to keep it going.

Senior Hunter Pipal went 3-for-4 as the Cats collected 11 hits in the second game, although they scored twice in the top of the first without benefit of a hit and never looked back. They took advantage of a couple of walks and two Hobbs errors.

Seniors Jason Freeman and Keaton Greenwalt each singled and doubled for the Cats, and combined to score four runs and drive in three.

Senior Austin Adams went six innings to get the win, allowing six hits and four runs (three earned). After Clovis put four on the board in the top of the seventh for a seven-run cushion, senior Jaron Gonzales worked the bottom half for the Cats, giving up a solo homer to the Eagles’ David Ortega.

The Eagles (12-6, 3-1) scored twice in the first inning of the opener, but did little after that against senior Daniel Gallegos, who blanked them from the second through the sixth. Meantime, Clovis got on the board in the sixth when Kurt Kelley walked and came around on a balk, a groundout and Greenwalt’s sacrifice fly.

In the seventh, Freeman singled and took second when the Eagles misplayed Gallegos’ sacrifice bunt. With one out, Connor Langrell tied it with an RBI single.

Gallegos walked one and struck out four in 6 2/3 innings, while senior Isaiah Tovar pitched a complete-game three-hitter for Hobbs.

The Cats are on the road again on Friday for a 4:30 p.m. district twin bill at Alamogordo.