THS baseball still looking for district win

The Tucumcari baseball team still was searching for its first district win of the season after a doubleheader loss Thursday at Ruidoso by scores of 20-1 and 13-3.

The Warriors swamped the Rattlers (3-12, 0-7) with 13 runs in the opening inning of the first game. Ruidoso totaled 26 hits during the contest, while Tucumcari had just three.

Pat Garcia went 3-for-3 at the plate and scored Tucumcari’s only run in the third.

Logan Sandoval was a one-man wrecking crew for Ruidoso, going 5-for-5 with a home run, a double and seven RBI.

Josiah Sanchez pitched a complete game for the Warriors, allowing three hits, three walks and striking out three.

In the nightcap, Ruidoso again struck early with five runs in the first inning. The Warriors led 11-1 after four.

Tucumcari’s Nick Goen hit a double and drove in a run. Jordan Rincones also tallied an RBI and scored a run. Kamren Apodaca and Pat Garcia each scored runs for the Rattlers.

Apodaca, starting on the mound, allowed just four earned runs while striking out eight and walking one. Six Tucumcari errors led to nine unearned runs.

“We’re just not helping ourselves,” Tucumcari coach George Montano said. “Error after error on routine plays that are simple. They hit a lot of gap shots, but then when the ball came to us, we didn’t make the play.

“Kam threw a great game,” Montano added. “Our pitchers come out every game and throw good. Very confident in every game with whoever is out there. We just gotta make the play from start to finish.”

Trenton Hall drove in three runs and pitched four innings for the Warriors, allowing just one run while striking out six.

Ruidoso improved to 11-5 overall and 3-3 in district play.

East Mountain 17, Tucumcari 1

Tucumcari’s Nick Goen hit a solo homer in the first inning, but it far from enough during a 17-1 district loss last Tuesday at East Mountain.

Goen’s blast was the only scoring for the Rattlers, who totaled just five hits during the game. Goen went 2-for-3.

Luis Archuleta went 2-for-2, including a double, for Tucumcari.

Goen took the loss on the mound, allowing 10 runs (four earned), seven hits and two walks in 2 2/3 innings.

Tucumcari committed six errors, leading to eight unearned runs.

The Timberwolves, rapping 13 hits, scored nine runs in the bottom of the first inning and seven in the fourth.

East Mountain pitchers Cole Darnell and Tristen Nemitz combined for 11 strikeouts and no walks in five innings.

East Mountain improved to 12-7 and remained in contention in the district with a 5-1 mark.