The Bulldogs (4-9) posted a big win in district play at a neutral site in Pagosa Springs, taking a big step toward potential regional qualification with an offensive outburst against the Redhawks. Dove Creek jumped out early with a seven-run second inning and sealed the game with another big inning late.
Junior Konner Spigner collected four hits, while freshman Kycen Gritz drove in six runs to spark a Bulldogs offense that continues to gain confidence. Senior Trevan Ivie and junior Cael Beanland combined to strike out 15 La Veta batters, as the Bulldogs look ahead to their season-series deciding meeting with Dolores on Monday at 2 p.m. at Joe Rowell Park.
The Montezuma-Cortez Panthers (9-5, 2-0 Class 3A IML) wasted little time making a statement in their bid to repeat as league champions, sweeping the Pirates in their league-opening series.
Senior Bodie Stiegelmeyer shone in the opener with three hits as the Panthers scored crooked numbers in the second, fourth, fifth and seventh innings to pull away. Junior Tegan Mestas and sophomore Zye Kuenzler combined to one-hit Pagosa Springs in game one.
In the nightcap, seniors Kallan Wirth and Jaris McDonald held the Pirates in check, facing just seven batters over the minimum. Senior Parker Conrad accounted for seven of the Panthers’ 13 RBIs in the second game, including a home run, as M-CHS closed the contest in the sixth inning with a seven-run rally.
M-CHS returns to McAndrew Field for a Friday doubleheader against Alamosa, who currently sits atop the league standings with a 4-0 start to IML play. Action at Parque de Vida is slated to begin at 1 p.m.
The Bears (5-8) fell behind early in game one before rallying to within 4-3 behind a three-hit performance from junior Levi Hampton. After the teams traded scoreless innings through the middle frames, the host Bobcats pushed across two runs in the bottom of the sixth to take the opener.
Game two again saw Dolores playing from behind, as the Bears erased three-run deficits twice to tie the game at nine heading into the final two innings. Junior Gus Vaughn threw a complete game with seven strikeouts, but Ignacio scored the go-ahead run in the sixth to claim the rubber match of the three-game season series.
Dolores faces Dove Creek on Monday, April 20, at 2 p.m. at Joe Rowell Park before hosting Center later in the week and Del Norte on April 25 for a doubleheader.
The Montezuma-Cortez girls track and field team placed fourth at the Ron Keller Invitational in Durango on Saturday, while the boys finished fifth. The Dolores boys took seventh, and the Mancos girls finished eighth to lead the local San Juan Basin League schools.
Junior Tessa Jackson won the high jump at 5 feet, 1 inch, while senior Aubrie Matthias finished second in the 100 hurdles in 17.62 seconds to lead the Panthers.
The M-CHS boys 4x200 relay earned a runner-up finish in 1:36.11, and junior Trey Hall placed second in the high jump at 6 feet, 5 inches.
For Dolores, the boys placed three relays in the top three, led by runner-up finishes in the 4x400 (3:37.13) and 4x800 (9:16.24). The 4x200 relay finished third in 1:41.35. Sophomore Addy Thompson paced the Bears girls with a sixth-place finish in the 100 hurdles (18.92).
Freshman Tymbri Priestley led the Mancos girls with a time of 1:02.75 in the 400, while the 4x100 relay placed fourth in 54.32. Senior Jacob Martin finished sixth in the shot put for the Bluejays boys at 36 feet, 2 1/2 inches.
Dove Creek’s Daniel Gray placed seventh in the 300 hurdles (46.12), and sophomore Ayla Coffey finished eighth in the shot put (27 feet) to lead the Bulldogs.
The Panthers protected their home pitch with a pair of IML victories to improve to 8-2 overall and clinch the league title. M-CHS moved to 5-0 in league play with one match remaining.
The Panthers have outscored their IML opponents 28-2 and can complete a perfect league run Tuesday when they travel to Bayfield for a 4 p.m. match against the Wolverines.
