Putting together an inning of which even top-ranked Paonia would have proud, Ignacio twice through its order during a 14-run fourth inning in Dove Creek.
The Bobcats blasted the Bulldogs 20-2.
On the mound for the Bobcats, right-hander Timmy Plehinger-Williams worked three innings, allowing just three hits and both Dove Creek runs. He walked four batters and struck out three to earn the 2A/1A San Juan Basin League win in Dolores County.
At the plate, he helped his own cause by going 2-for-3 with a double, run and three RBIs.
But when head coach Bert Miller decided to pull the senior off the cold, wind-raked mound, the Bobcats (2-5, 1-0 SJBL) held just a slim 4-2 advantage as they looked to bounce back from an 18-1 loss to Paonia and a 9-3 loss at No. 8 Hotchkiss the same day.
Unfortunately for Dove Creek right-hander Ryan Martinez (L; 3+ IP, 8 H, 12 R, 4 ER, 5 BB, HB, 0 K), his luck was to run out and he plunked 7-hole hitter Dalton Labarthe beginning the top of the fourth.
Destined to finish 4-for-4 with three runs and an RBI, Trace Lovelace then beat out an infield single and Joe Herrera then reached second on an error – allowing Labarthe to score – by third baseman Cade Curtis.
Leadoff hitter Marcus Chapman then drew the second of his three walks, with one wild Martinez delivery granting Lovelace passage to the plate. Cole McCaw then walked and Plehinger-Williams then plated both Herrera and Chapman with a single to left. Leftfielder Park Pruett, however, misplayed the ball and McCaw alertly motored all the way around from first – upping IHS’ lead to 9-2.
Zach Weinreich (3-4, BB, 2B, 2 R, 2 RBI) then walked and Rendon Mestas cranked a double to left, scoring Plehinger-Williams and mercifully ending Martinez’s day on the hill.
Not to fare much better, reliever Logan Hamilton would give up another seven Ignacio hits and eight runs (four earned) despite striking out four and walking only two in his two frames of work.
Initially used as a courtesy runner for catcher Kai Roubideaux (2-3, 2B, 2 RBI), Diego Valencia finished with three runs scored and went 2-2 with two RBI. He also fanned two and walked two in one inning relieving Plehinger-Williams, before Labarthe sewed up the victory dealing a hitless fifth inning with three Ks in four batters.
Ty Smith singled twice and also reached on an error, while scoring once and driving in one to lead the ’Dogs (0-9, 0-1) offensively. Hamilton was 1-3 with an RBI-double, and Donovan Trudeau was 0-2 but drew a first-inning walk and came in with Dove Creek’s first run.
Next on the Bobcats’ schedule is a trip to Nucla Saturday for a noontime start versus the Mustangs.
AGAINST THE POWERS THAT BE: Held in check by HHS starter Kale Litzelman (W; 5 IP, H, 2 R, 2 BB, 9 K), Ignacio scored two of its three runs at Drake Athletic Field when Bulldog rightfielder Mario Espinoza botched Kruz Pardo’s third-inning fly ball. A McCaw single off Espinoza in the guests’ seventh plated Plehinger-Williams, who’d doubled, but Lawrence Valdez then flew to left to conclude the contest.
After a fast, nine- or ten-mile trip east and brief warm-up session, Pardo took Paonia starter Trevor Smith deep for a two-out, solo homer in the top of the first, but Eagle standout Kayden Seriani countered with a two-run tater in the home half. PHS added three more runs before the inning was over, then put up two in the second, five in the third – including a two-run tater by Jaden Miller – and six in the fourth.
Weinreich (2.2 IP, 6 H, 12 R, 6 ER, 4 BB, K) took the loss against Paonia, after Pardo (4.2 IP, 10 H, 8 R, 7 ER, 2 BB, HB, 3 K) had done so in Hotchkiss.
