Rattlers take tough loss to No. 1 NMMI

LOGAN - The pitching of Josh Griego on Saturday brought Tucumcari tantalizingly close to its first district win in almost five years - against the No. 1-ranked team and defending Class 3A champion, no less.

Griego pitched like an ace much of the game, striking out 12 and shutting out New Mexico Military Institute in the first four innings.

The Colts finally rallied for four runs in the sixth inning to salt away a 5-2 victory in the second game of a doubleheader.

Griego allowed 11 hits, two walks and four earned runs in a seven-inning complete game. Other than two runs by his teammates in the third, he received meager run support, with Rattler batters stranding 10 runners on base.

"Josh wanted to throw in the second game, and we gave the ball to him," Tucumcari coach George Montano said. "He threw phenomenal; we couldn't ask anything more of him. I just wish we got the win for him because he threw one hell of a game."

NMMI improved to 14-1 overall and 5-0 in district play.

The Rattlers last won a district game with a 5-3 victory over Santa Rosa on April 27, 2018 - a stretch of 41 games. So Tucumcari's first district victory in years will have to come at another time. The Rattlers are 4-9 overall and 0-5 in district.

But after a 15-1 loss in the opener against NMMI, Montano saw hopeful signs, mainly from his team's defense during the second game.

"I told the guys, 'If we minimize the errors like that, we can compete. I hope this opens your eyes that if we play errorless baseball, we can compete with anybody.' And I think they finally believe it," he said after the doubleheader.

"They just showed (NMMI) and showed their fans, and the boys proved to themselves that you can compete and play good baseball," Montano added.

While Griego kept the Colts off-balance, Tucumcari scored first during the third inning. Sammy Lopez walked, and Billy Otero reached base on an infield single. Each advanced one base on a balk. Kamren Apodaca drove in a run on a groundout to the right side, and Juano Martinez spanked an RBI single for a 2-0 lead.

NMMI closed the gap to 2-1 on Sergio Gonzales' double after Nicolas Barcenas singled and advanced to second on an outfield error.

In the fifth, the Colts collected five hits and a walk during their four-run rally, the key hit being Miguel Rivera's two-run double that put his team ahead for good.

Three of NMMI's hits during the critical rally were bunts or bloops into the shallow outfield.

"One of these days, we're going to (catch) those little bloopers. We're not the team that gets them, and I don't know why," Montano said.

"But I'm really proud of these guys. We've come a long way. We really have. We're right there, on the cusp."

NMMI used four pitchers during the second-game victory. In the final inning, Tucumcari had the bases loaded with two out, but Nick Goen popped out to center field to end it.

In the opener, the Colts chased Tucumcari starter Apodaca after 1 1/3 innings and a 9-0 lead. He gave up three hits and three walks and was hurt by three errors.

"We sat there and committed errors that hurt us," Montano said.

Reliever Oscar Angel pitched more effectively, though his cause also was marred by three errors.

NMMI ace Tegin Maloney dominated the Rattlers, striking out 13 in just 4 2/3 innings. He walked none and allowed one hit - an infield single by Otero.

Tucumcari scored its only run against reliever Gentry Caplan in the fifth and final inning on a bases-loaded walk by Jase Aughtman.