Rams run-rule Hot Springs

The Portales Rams started their series against Hot Springs exactly how they wanted Friday night.

Now, the matter at hand is to end the series in the same way, following a 10-0 blanking of the Tigers to take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three set at Ram Field.

CMI photo: Kevin WilsonPortales shortstop Brandon Lovato applies the tag to Hot Springs' Tyler Whitehead in the third inning Friday at Ram Field. The Rams defeated Hot Springs 10-0 and hold a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three first-round Class 3A series.

First baseman Ryan Schmidt went 4-for-4 — all extra-base hits —with four RBIs and David Rodriguez allowed just one hit over five innings for Portales (21-6), which moves on to the second round with a win in either of Saturday's games.

But the Rams know nothing's guaranteed.

"I brought up Raton three years ago," Ontiveros said. "We beat them 14-1 in the first game, then they won the next two. It's never for sure."

Schmidt, a 6-foot, 250-pound senior, said the Rams have to carry Friday's energy and attitude into Saturday.

CMI staff photo: Kevin WilsonPortales senior right-hander David Rodriguez pitched a five-inning one-hitter in the Rams' 10-0 win over Wingate on Friday night at Ram Field.

"We have a bad habit of not showing up for the second game," Schmidt said. "We need to focus up."

But it is fair to say that Portales is in a better position than a young Tigers squad. Portales put the leadoff man on base in all five innings, scoring three of them, and took advantage of numerous errors and misplayed balls.

"Defensively, they played well, and that's something we didn't do," Tigers coach Anthony Flores said. "I'm mad (about the loss), but at the same time I've got a bunch of sophomores out there."

Nuny Loera had the lone hit for the Tigers (11-16), a two-out triple in the third inning. But the inning ended with him stranded, and no other Hot Springs player got past second base the rest of the night.

Portales will start Jesus Acosta in the opener, with Ontiveros not making a third-game decision unless it comes up. But he feels relieved knowing he has options, with Rodriguez throwing just 62 pitches.

"He kept his pitch count down," Ontiveros said. "We can close the game out with David if we need."