Rattlers suffer three losses at WLV tourney

Tucumcari had a rough week, suffering three losses at the West Las Vegas Baseball Tournament.

In the tournament finale Saturday, district foe East Mountain grabbed a 9-0 lead before the Rattlers got on the scoreboard during a 12-4 loss.

Tucumcari coach George Montano noted his team started slow, stranding runners on base in the first two innings without scoring.

East Mountain (7-6) rapped 15 hits during the game. Tucumcari starting pitcher Kamren Apodaca and reliever Josh Griego each gave up four earned runs.

“Ham started the game and threw well for his first outing this season,” Montano said. “Our defense just wasn’t helping him, with a total of three errors while on the mound. Seven runs on Kam, and only four were earned.”

Apodaca, Nick Goen and Luis Archuleta each drove in a run for the Rattlers. Goen and Pat Garcia each had two hits.

Archuleta and Goen each were named to the all-tournament team.

Tucumcari finished the weekend with 3-5 record.

Socorro 13, Tucumcari 4

Socorro ended a 24-game losing streak with a 13-4 victory Friday over Tucumcari in the West Las Vegas tourney.

The Warriors, helped by a six-run second running, led 10-0 before Tucumcari scored.

Montano said a lot of balks were called on his pitchers during the game.

“I personally felt it was a bit extreme and seemed like it was more (nit)picking than issues,” he said.

Goen went 2-for-2 for the Rattlers with a double and two RBI, and Archuleta went 1-for-3 with a triple and a run scored. Trip Payne also drove in a run.

Goen and Griego combined on the mound for Tucumcari for just three earned runs allowed and eight strikeouts.

Socorro ended the weekend with a 2-6 record.

Hatch Valley 11, Tucumcari 10

Tucumcari led 9-5 after 3 1/2 innings but were undone by Hatch Valley’s six-run fourth inning during an 11-10 loss in the first round of the West Las Vegas tourney.

Montano said his team had the tying run on third with two outs when the game ended.

“Hatch was a winnable game,” he said. “We put up seven (runs) in the first. I didn’t feel like we relaxed at that point, either. (Hatch) came up, hit the ball, scored runs.”

Tucumcari pitchers Goen and Oscar Angel allowed no earned runs on the mound, but suffered from four errors by the Rattlers.

Griego went 2-for-4 at the plate with three runs batted in. Apodaca went 3-for-4 with two RBI.

Pat Garcia and Paxton Smith each scored two runs for the Rattlers. Payne, Archuleta, Goen and Juano Martinez also drove in a run each.

Hatch Valley ended the weekend with a 5-9 record.