Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Portales High pitcher Carson Pfaffenberger (left) and shortstop Kaiden Gutierrez get Artesia senior Diego Samora in the "pickle" during Tuesday's District 4-4A baseball matchup at Ram Field. Pfaffenberger was able to tag Samora out on the play.
CLOVIS – Early on, Clovis High's baseball team tried to hang with defending Class 5A champion Carlsbad in Thursday's District 4-5A opener at Bell Park.
The Wildcats got taken out of contention by a 10-run third for the Cavemen.
Ten-run innings generally tend to do that.
Carlsbad whacked three home runs and senior left-hander Mack Mabrey tossed four solid innings as the Cavemen (14-4 overall), ranked fourth in 5A, pulled away to a 14-2 victory in five innings. The teams were slated to complete the three-game series on Friday with a doubleheader at Carlsbad.
CHS junior Jayden Jameson walked Carlsbad's Dylan Salcido to start the game, and sophomore shortstop Aiden Quintela promptly deposited a two-run homer over the left field fence. The Cavemen tacked on another run and had the bases loaded with one out, but Jameson got a strikeout and a fielder's choice grounder to limit the damage.
Mabrey gave up a one-out single to eighth-grader Javi Jimenez in the bottom half and then hit two batters to load the bases with two out. On a 1-2 pitch, CHS senior Joe Albert lined a two-run single to right-center.
After the Cavemen added a run in the second, Clovis put runners at the corners with one out in the bottom half. But Jimenez was ruled out at first on what became an inning-ending 5-4-3 double play.
First basemen Delmonico Granger-Moreno hit a first-pitch homer in the third, and before it was over first baseman Delmonico Granger Moreno belted a three-run homer and left fielder Zach Marquez hit a three-run double, although he was out at third trying to stretch it.
"We gave them extra baserunners (with walks and hit batsmen)," Cats coach Richard Cruce said. "You can't do that against a team the caliber of Carlsbad."
In the end, the double-play call at first might not have mattered in the outcome, but it was a dagger in the Cats' hopes of pulling off a comeback win.
"A big call in the second (inning) changes the momentum a little," Cruce said. "From my viewpoint, I thought (Jimenez) was safe."
The Cavemen finished with 11 hits, including two apiece for Salcido, Mabrey, Marquez and right fielder Zach Galindo. Five of Carlsbad's hits went for extra bases.
"We were able to get our sticks going," said Carlsbad coach Cody May, who won his third state title at the school last spring and previously spent a couple of years coaching at Floyd. "Clovis came out ready to play, and they were swinging it pretty well against Mack."
Mabrey worked four innings, walking walking two and striking out eight. Junior Garrett Fuentes struck out the side in the fifth, walking one.
This week, the Cats host Hobbs in a 5 p.m. single game on Thursday, then travel to Hobbs for two on Friday.
Portales drops district opener – At Portales, the Rams were handed a 12-0 loss by Artesia in the District 4-4A lidlifter for both squads.
The Bulldogs (9-9) collected 10 hits, with freshman Jack Byers finishing 3-for-3 with three runs and two RBIs. Meantime, senior Davian Molina threw a six-inning complete game, allowing just two hits with three walks and six strikeouts.
The teams were slated to meet on Friday night in a twin bill at Artesia. This week, the Rams (9-7) play a single game at Roswell Goddard on Thursday, then host the Rockets for a pair of contests on Friday.
