The Pagosa Springs High School Pirate baseball team hit rough waters when it opened league play against the Montezuma-Cortez Panthers on Saturday, April 13, with the Pirates dropping both halves of the day’s doubleheader.
“We just, again, didn’t take advantage of the opportunities,” coach Ben Garcia said, adding later the Pirates knew the Panthers are a “very good” team and had previously watched them play.
The Pirates, he noted, are an equally good team, but they are not currently showing that.
The Pirates dropped the first half of the doubleheader 12-3, despite being down by two heading into the sixth inning.
The Panthers picked up one run in the top of the first, with Pagosa then taking the lead with two runs in the bottom of the third.
The Panthers answered with three runs in the top of the fourth, then tacked on six in the sixth and two in the seventh.
Garcia indicated the change came from missed plays and walks, “and before you know it, they’re clearing the bases.”
The Pirates brought one run around in the bottom of the seventh to finished the game at 12-3 in favor of the Panthers.
One of the concerns heading into the game, Garcia noted, was the bottom of the lineup, but that they walked and had sacrifice bunts that helped the Pirate offense.
“They did,” he said. “They’ve done their job. They were getting on base ... just some things that really helped us.”
The top of the lineup, he indicated, “just didn’t have a good game.”
Garcia noted there were opportunities during the game, but that the Panthers didn’t make mistakes.
“Cortez didn’t make ... a lot of mistakes,” he said. “I mean, they made really good plays. ... They defensively didn’t let the ball get by them. They were getting singles. ... We were turning singles into doubles.”
He added of the Panthers, “They were pretty sound.”
He also noted, “It seemed like we were giving them five outs every inning and we were only getting the three.”
The Pirates had five hits in the game, with one each coming from Jaden Tuggle-Reed, Ty Richey, Zach Pouyer, Riley Laugel and Dylan Dempster.
Pouyer, Dempster and Laugel also scored runs.
The Pirates walked five times, with Cooper Ralston drawing two walks, and Chris Martinez, Kyler Henderson and Dempster each drawing one. Laugel and Henderson also reached after being hit by pitches.
The Pirates are listed as having two strikeouts in the matchup and nine errors.
Ralston, Kaeden Iguchi and Laugel took the mound in the game, combining to allow 12 runs (three earned) on 13 hits and six walks. Ralston struck out one batter.
The first game, the coach noted, also usually sets the tempo for a doubleheader, and the Panthers picked up where they left off in the second game, bringing five runs around in the top of the first.
“We came out and gave up five runs,” Garcia said, calling it “unbecoming” and explaining Martinez was pitching well, but mistakes in the field were extending the innings.
The Panthers scored two more in the second and three in the third to build an 8-0 lead.
The Pirates brought around three in the third.
The Panthers scored another five runs in the top of the fifth, with the Pirates answering with three more runs in the bottom of the inning to make it a 15-6 game.
The Panthers added another four runs in the top of the seventh, with Pagosa bringing one around in the bottom of the inning to make it a final score of 19-7.
“Scoring seven runs should be enough to win a baseball game,” Garcia said, adding that Montezuma-Cortez’s second-game pitcher was not as tough.
He added the team wasn’t in sync, even though it rebounded and had opportunities in the second game.
The Pirates had six hits in the matchup, with Hunter Pouyer and Laugel logging two hits each.
Hunter Pouyer, who had a double and a triple, also scored two runs. Laugel, whose hits included a triple, also scored a run.
Zach Pouyer and Henderson each had a double and a run scored. Henderson and Peyton Bishop each drew a walk.
The Pirates struck out twice and had five errors.
Martinez and Hunter Pouyer combined to allow 19 runs, eight of which were earned, on 16 hits and four walks while striking out two.
Additional stats from the games were not available.
Garcia noted the team also had a little trouble at first base in both games, which then put pressure on the defense and made the team bring in its infield, which cuts the ability to have angles and make plays on deeper-hit balls.
“That cost us a lot,” he said, adding, “All of the effects of not making plays early costs us,” he said, adding the little things cost the team a lot.
The team then starts to panic and compounds the mistakes, he explained, noting there are several young members of the team who are learning.
“We’ve got to keep our composure and get the out,” he said.
Garcia indicated the Pirates are working in practice to block the ball and keep it in front of them, among other things.
“One of the things we’re really concentratin’ on this week is shoring up those particular scenarios and keeping our composure,” he said.
With the losses, the Pirates are now 4-8 on the season and 0-2 in Intermountain League (IML) action.
They sit as the No. 39 team in the 3A Selection and Seeding Index, which helps determine postseason seeding.
The Panthers are current atop the IML with a 2-0 league record and 7-7 overall mark. They are the No. 20 team in the Selection and Seeding Index.
The Pirates were slated to play Del Norte Tuesday, but that doubleheader was postponed due to a lack of officials available and is now set for next week.
The Pirates will continue league play this weekend when they head to La Jara to take on the Centauri Falcons in a doubleheader that is slated to begin at 11 a.m.
The Falcons are 5-9 on the season and 0-2 in league play, having lost to Bayfield 23-7 and 22-4 on April 6.
The Falcons are the No. 42 team in the Selection and Seeding Index.
Then, on Tuesday, the Pirates will welcome the 2A Del Norte Tigers for a doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m.
The Tigers are 3-4 on the season and sit at the No. 34 team in the 2A Selection and Seeding Index.
“We’ve gotta come out ready to play in the first game,” Garcia said, adding the team needs to take care of its opportunities and put pressure on other teams instead of having other teams apply that pressure.
Playing Del Norte and Centauri will give the Pirates a chance to get back into contention, Garcia indicated.
“Those are important games for us,” he said, adding, “These are very winnable games. The only way we’re going to get better is to continue to play and make ... less ... errors.”
randi@pagosasun.com
