Cats earn Friday split at Hobbs

HOBBS – Clovis High's baseball team got its first District 4-5A win on Friday night, pounding Hobbs 11-4 in the second game of a doubleheader.

The Eagles, who pulled away late to win 16-3 in Thursday's series opener at Bell Park, took Game 1 in Friday's twin bill 8-1. The split ended a five-game losing streak for the Wildcats (10-13, 1-5 district) and keeps them in contention for a possible Class 5A state playoff berth heading into next week's regular-season series finale against Roswell High.

"I'm proud of the kids," CHS coach Richard Cruce said. "They knew their backs were against the wall in that second game."

Senior left-hander Jasiah Mendoza went the seven-inning distance in Game 2, allowing five hits and striking out four. He threw 93 pitches.

Sophomore Koby Rivera drove in four runs with two-run singles in the fourth and fifth innings, when the Cats erupted for nine runs to take an 11-2 lead. Sophomore Quinn Culiver put the Cats ahead with a two-run single in the first.

"Koby and Quinn came up with some huge hits, and it was a great outing by Mendoza," Cruce said.

In the opener, Clovis fell behind 4-0 in the first inning, but had chances, Cruce said, noting that the Cats left the bases loaded twice.

Rivera doubled in the second inning and scored the Cats' lone run on a bases-loaded walk to junior Bernie Lopez. Hobbs junior Mekhi Brewer allowed two hits over six innings, striking out nine and working around seven walks.

Brewer doubled home a pair of runs in the first for the Eagles (9-14, 3-3), while junior Xavier Alvarado hit a two-run homer in the second to make it 6-1.

Junior Nicholas Gonzalez worked the final two frames for the Eagles, allowing one hit. Junior right-hander Nathan McIntosh went the distance for the Cats, surrendering 12 hits and eight earned runs.

The Cats host Roswell High in a 5 p.m. single tilt on Thursday, then face the Coyotes in a doubleheader on Friday at Roswell.

Hobbs 16, Clovis 3 (Thursday) – The Eagles banged out 15 hits, including two home runs among 10 extra-base hits, but they didn't break away until late.

Hobbs led just 2-1 when junior right-hander Jayden Jameson retired the first two hitters in the top of the fifth. The next six batters reached safely, though – five on hits and one on a walk – and the Eagles scored four times to open a 6-1 cushion.

After a quick 1-2-3 sixth, the Eagles added 10 runs on just five hits in the seventh, including a three-run homer by Brewer, a two-run, pinch-hit double by junior Kanyon Johnson and Alvarado's two-run triple.

Clovis stranded seven baserunners, but hit into two double plays and left the sacks full in the fourth and sixth innings. Meantime, the Cats also turned a pair of twin killings in the field.

"We woke up a sleeping giant," Cruce said. "We had chances to answer back early, and we didn't."

Brewer added three doubles to finish 4-for-5 with six RBIs, Alvarado also doubled twice and went 3-for-4 with four runs scored and four RBIs. Three others had two hits for the Eagles.

"They did a pretty good job of holding us off, but then we had a couple of big innings," Eagles coach Marco Boyle said. "I thought it was good for us to score with two outs. That's usually a back-breaker for the other team."

Clovis compiled five singles off senior right-hander Major Byrd, who finished with three walks and seven strikeouts. All the hits came from two players – Rivera was 2-for-3 with an RBI single in the first, and Albert finished 3-for-3.

"I' very proud of our guys," Boyle said. "They played hard today. They came in focused on one thing, and they got it done."

One of the highlights for the Cats was Lopez, who made his first mound appearance of the season and got out of the seventh inning mess on just six pitches, all strikes – a strikeout and a flyout.

"If we can get that from him, he can go back in there," Cruce said. "I'm proud of him."