Portales tagged Lovington for 46 hits on the road, posting a 17-4, 17-3 District 4-3A baseball doubleheader sweep Tuesday.

The host Wildcats never led. In game one Portales got seven runs in the first inning off the bats of junior Shawn Carrasco and seniors Pablo Uroiste and Martin Mendoza. Sophomore Andrew Villanueva and senior Eric Aguilar both went deep for the Rams (5-6, 3-1 district) in the third inning to make the score 13-3.

Portales coach Arturo Ontiveros said the offense came alive for the Rams.

“The one thing that was different in the game is the players were having more of a purpose at the plate in hitting,” Ontiveros said.

Carrasco and Uroiste lead the team with five hits, while teammates Villanueva and Aguilar got homered in the game. They both had three hits in the game.

“This is the first time I can remember that we came in and swept them in Lovington,” Ontiveros said. “The players are pretty happy. Coming out of there with two wins is big.”

Brandon Adkins won the first game.

Game two was much the same with Portales jumping out to a 9-0 lead. Both games went five innings.

District 4-3A
First game
Portales 17, Lovington 4
Portales    733  013 —17    24    0
Lovington    301  000 —  4    6    0
Leading hitters: Portales, Shawn Carrasco 5-5, Pablo Urioste 5-5, Eric Aguilar 3-4, Andrew Villanueva 3-4, Brandon McAfee 3-4, David Rodriguez 3-4. Lovington, Dominic Moreno 2-3, Jaden Swenson 2-3, Michael Dean 2-3.

Second game
Portales 17, Lovington 3
Portales    360    44    — 17    22    0
Lovington    000    12    — 3    7    0
Leading hitters: Portales, Martin Mendoza 4-4, Eric Aguilar 4-4, Andrew Villanueva 3-4, Brandon McAfee 3-4, Shawn Carrasco 3-4, Pablo Urioste 2-3, David Rodriguez 2-4. Lovington, Arthur Pando 2-2, Dominic Moreno 1-3, Jaden Swenson 1-3, Michael Dean 1-3.