Rattler baseball team drops three district games

Tucumcari’s baseball team endured a tough district doubleheader Saturday, losing by scores of 16-4 and 10-4 to Sandia Prep.

In the first game, Sandia Prep jumped to a 7-0 lead in the first inning and led 15-4 after three. The game went only five innings due to the 10-run mercy rule.

The Sundevils rapped 13 hits, drew eight walks and stole 10 bases.

Josh Riordan drove in four runs for Sandia. A committee of three Sundevils pitchers allowed just four hits and two walks.

In the nightcap, the Rattlers briefly took a 4-1 lead after two innings. But the Sundevils rallied for three runs in the fourth and three in the fifth to take an 8-4 lead and swing back momentum.

Sandia Prep totaled only six hits but drew eight walks and one hit batter. The Sundevils also stole 16 bases.

Sandia’s three pitchers allowed just four hits, struck out 11 and held Tucumcari scoreless in the last five innings.

The Rattlers fell to 4-7 overall and 0-3 in district play. The doubleheader, as is all the Rattlers’ home games this season, was played at Logan High School’s field near Ute Lake State Park while Tucumcari’s diamond is under construction.

Sandia Prep improved to 5-4, 2-1. The Sundevils are ranked seventh in Class 3A by MaxPreps.com.

Ruidoso 17, Tucumcari 2

The Rattlers dropped their district opener last Tuesday at Ruidoso when the Warriors erupted for 15 runs in the second and third innings.

Tucumcari coach George Montano said Tucumcari errors led to the Warriors’ big innings.

“Missing ground balls, missing pop flies, etc.,” he said. “We hit the ball but couldn’t produce any more runs than the two. We will get over these error games or at least minimize them to where the game doesn’t get out of reach.

“We look good. We’re fine. We have more games ahead of us,” he added.

Tucumcari scored its runs when Sammy Lopez hit two-run line drive to center, scoring Xzander Garcia after he was hit by a pitch and Nick Goen’s double.

Ruidoso improved to 3-4 overall.