Beautiful spring weather was the result last Friday and Saturday at McAndrew Field.
The final scores for the Montezuma-Cortez High School baseball team, werent as beautiful.
Southwestern League foes Montrose and Grand Junction came to town. Each team built early leads over the Panthers. M-CHS battled, but couldnt climb out of early deficits. The Panthers lost to 4A Montrose, 4-1, and 5A Grand Junction, 10-7.
Im really proud of the way our guys are battling, Panthers coach Sam Perry said. I think were taking on the personality that we can play with anybody. Were trying to raise our level of toughness. In those types of games, its about whos the tougher team. Right now, thats something that were learning. Were getting to that point. I truly feel it wont be long until we turn the corner and were able to knock off these top teams.
M-CHS (6-6, 0-4 SWL) fell behind 2-0 in the first inning Friday against Montrose (10-1, 2-1 SWL). A defensive struggle then ensued for most of the game from strong pitching on each side.
Indians pitcher Zane Hemond threw a complete game in the win. But the Panthers did record seven hits against Hemond, including a leadoff triple by catcher Tallon Ralstin in the bottom of the first.
However, Ralstin was left stranded on base, which was the Panthers problem Friday. M-CHS left six runners on base in the 3-point loss.
The score remained 2-0 Montrose through the sixth inning, until first baseman/relief pitcher Gerardo Martinez belted a double to left center that sent home starting pitcher Dakota Goosen to make it 2-1. With two Panthers on base with two outs, pinch hitter Rylan Duran popped out to end the inning.
Martinez relieved Goosen in the seventh after Montrose tacked on a run. The Indians earned one more for the final margin, as the Panthers top of the order got out in the bottom of the seventh.
Goosen took the loss on the mound. Martinez hit 1-for-3 with a run batted in.
On Saturday, hot hitting Grand Junction (7-2, 2-1 SWL), jumped all over Panthers starting ace Devin Fox. Tigers shortstop Casey Burns gave the visitors a 2-0 first inning lead, smacking a two-run, homer to center field.
The bats didnt letup for Grand Junction. Three more runs came home for the Tigers in the second off of three RBI hits, and it was 5-0.
M-CHS responded with some offense in the bottom of the second. Third baseman Manuel Hernandez led off the inning with a triple. He came home the next at bat when Major Lackey reached first on an error, which allowed Hernandez to score. Two batters later, Lackey scored off an RBI-single from Elijah Duran to make it just 5-2 Grand Junction.
The Tigers, though, wouldnt quit.
A trio of Tigers scored in the top of the third and Grand Junction now had a commanding 8-2 lead. Fox was relieved for the Panthers after three innings, throwing three strikeouts.
Martinez pitched the rest of the way in relief. M-CHS also stepped up its defense the rest of the way.
The Tigers were held to one run the next two innings. Meanwhile, the Panthers crept closer with two runs in the bottom of the fifth. Fox got his first hit of the game with an RBI-single and Matrinez earned a RBI-hit by pitch to pull M-CHS within 9-4. Grand Junction added a run in the top of the sixth, but the Panthers answered with three in the bottom half off RBI-singles from Hernandez and Lackey.
With the score now just 10-7, Martinez did his job on the mound getting three outs and not allowing any runs in the top of the seventh. Unfortunately, Tigers closer Brett Labonte did the same in the bottom of the seventh to preserve the Grand Junction win.
Its hurts me a lot. We lose by just three points, four points, Martinez said. Our organization is getting better from last year. But those games, it makes me mad we lose by only that much. Those guys make good plays and so do we.
Fox, Martinez and Hernandez all hit 2-for-4 to lead M-CHS. Fox and Martinez each recorded one RBI apiece, while Hernandez knocked home two.
Ive been struggling a little bit at the plate, but Ive been helping as much as I could on defense, Martinez said. Since last year, weve toughened out. They (SWL teams) know weve got it to beat them. The league were in, its tough. Its big schools we have to play against. But were going. Were getting better.
The Panthers are off this week for spring break and will return home to McAndrew Field on Friday and Saturday, April 13-14. M-CHS will host SWL rivals Grand Junction Central and Fruita Monument at 4 p.m. and 11 a.m.
Reach Bobby Abplanalp at bobbya@cortezjournal.com.