Lovington posts series sweep against Rams

PORTALES – Probably needing a series win to earn a spot in the Class 4A state baseball tournament, Portales High was just three outs away in Thursday night's opener at Ram Field.

Then the roof fell in.

Lovington, which was in the same predicament as the Rams, opened the seventh inning with six consecutive hits capped by a home run, and the Wildcats turned a 4-3 deficit into a 9-4 victory at Ram Field.

In Friday's doubleheader at Lovington, the Wildcats (12-14, 4-5 district) made short work of PHS, winning a pair of five-inning, run-rule contests 17-7 and 14-2. Lovington should be in line to be the district's third representative in the upcoming16-team 4A playoffs, behind Artesia and Roswell Goddard.

In Thursday's matchup, Rams junior right-hander Kaiden Gutierrez surrendered two runs (one earned) in the top of the first, then allowed a second-inning leadoff to sophomore third baseman Ryan Wieser. After that, though, he blanked the Wildcats through the sixth, allowing only three hits in that span, before Lovington chased him in the seventh with Weiser's leadoff infield single and a run-scoring double by designated hitter Ethan Gonzales.

A bunt single and an infield RBI single followed before right fielder Mike Pando delivered a two-run triple and rode home on senior Jonathan Aceves' two-run homer.

"That (first) infield hit started that all," Rams coach Ruben Tellez said. "We want our pitchers to throw strikes and they did, but they (Wildcats) hit the ball."

PHS got RBI singles from senior Trevin Price and sophomore Elijah Tellez to tie it in the first. Designated hitter Edel Legarda made it 3-3 with an RBI double in the third and freshman Carson Pfaffenberger put the Rams in front 4-3 with a fourth-inning sacrifice fly.

In the top of the inning, the Wildcats appeared to take the lead when Gonzales singled with two outs and stole second, and center fielder Camon Ochoa followed with a double to left. But upon appeal by the Rams, the base umpire ruled that Gonzales missed third base and was out.

That got Lovington coach Robert Arreola ejected. After the game, he was still convinced the call was incorrect.

"You know, it's a game of inches sometimes, but it is what it is," Arreola said. "I'm going to fight for our kids.

"It just goes to show how this group battled. Our (assistant) coaches did a great job, and all the credit goes to the kids."

Portales had multiple scoring opportunities, especially early, but the Rams stranded 11 runners – including seven in scoring position – while the Wildcats left just four.

"We left too many guys on base," coach Tellez said. "The difference was when they got guys on base, they hit the ball and got them in."

Gutierrez, whose only other start came in a district win at Roswell Goddard, kept his pitch count in check to be able to go deep. Tellez said Gutierrez told him he was good to go entering the seventh.

Arreola was impressed.

"That's what pitching is all about," he said. "It's about throwing strikes and letting your defense make plays."

Aceves worked 4 2/3 innings for the Wildcats before sophomore Cesar Salinas finished to pick up the win, retiring seven of eight hitters with one walk and four strikeouts.

Pando, Wieser, Gonzales and Ochoa all had a pair of hits for Lovington, which outhit the Rams 11-8. Gutierrez doubled twice in four at-bats while Elijah Tellez went 2-for-3 for Portales.