Gunfire leads to JV cancellation

SANTA FE — The Clovis High junior varsity baseball team got an early ending to its junior varsity doubleheader Saturday, when the sound of gunfire led to an evacuation of the field and cancellation of the remaining contest.

District Athletic Director Larry Chavez told the Santa Fe New Mexican when spectators and participants heard gunshots near the Capital High field, officials canceled the game out of safety concerns.

Chavez speculated that some people use the area south of Capital’s softball and baseball fields for target practice during the weekends. Clovis junior varsity coach Andrew Duran had no reason to dispute that conclusion, but said there was legitimate fear in the moment.

“We were up to bat, and I was coaching third base,” Duran said. “I heard two shots, and they (sounded) pretty close (over) my head. I just tried to get the kids off the field.

“I think everybody handled it pretty well. The kids got in the dugout right away, and we got them out of harm’s way quickly, both Santa Fe’s guys and ours.”

Chavez said police were not called to the school.

The schools were playing at Capital because the varsity teams had a doubleheader at Santa Fe High School. Complicating matters was that Saturday was a testing date for the ACT, so game times moved to the afternoon to accommodate students taking the test.

The Santa Fe players may have been on higher alert, as the incident comes on the heels of a student stabbing a fellow student at Santa Fe High School on Thursday.

Santa Fe officials said the game will not be rescheduled. Clovis won the opener 11-1 and was leading the second game 5-1 in the top of the third inning.