Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
CMI staff photo: Tony BullocksClovis sophomore pitcher Matt Lanier threw three effective innings Tuesday night in the Wildcats' season-opening 14-1 victory over the Portales Rams in Portales.
CMI photo: Tony BullocksPortales senior River Fine makes contact for a first-inning single during Tuesday night's season-opening baseball game against Clovis at Ram Field. The Rams managed just three hits in the game and dropped a 14-1 decision to the Wildcats.
The Clovis and Portales baseball teams are relatively young this season. The difference Tuesday was the Wildcats have most of their team in place while the Rams don't.
Senior shortstop Joe Shelley drove in four runs and the Cats used two big innings to rough up the Rams 14-1 at Ram Field in the season opener for both teams.
CMI staff photo: Tony Bullocks
Clovis sophomore pitcher Matt Lanier threw three effective innings Tuesday night in the Wildcats' season-opening 14-1 victory over the Portales Rams in Portales.
Trailing 1-0, Shelley put the Cats in front with a two-run double in the third after a single by Peyton Lott and a walk to Derik Kuykendall. Later in the inning, Austin Adams drew a bases-loaded walk and Alfonso Rivas delivered an RBI single.
The Cats erupted for a 10-spot in the top of the fourth, featuring two-run doubles by Bruce Lamb and Andres Tapia, a two-run single by Shelley and RBI singles by Kordell Tindle and Austin Adams.
The Cats benefited from 14 walks by Portales pitching.
"I thought we executed when we needed to," first-year CHS coach Shane Leatherwood said. "We took what they gave us. I was proud of the guys not trying to chase pitches."
Sophomores Matt Lanier and Lamb combined to allow three hits in the five-inning contest, shortened by the 10-run rule. Lanier walked three and struck out seven in three innings, while Lamb issued two walks and fanned a pair.
The Rams scored first in the bottom of the second on two walks and a bloop RBI single to center by freshman Grant Wagner.
CMI photo: Tony Bullocks
Portales senior River Fine makes contact for a first-inning single during Tuesday night's season-opening baseball game against Clovis at Ram Field. The Rams managed just three hits in the game and dropped a 14-1 decision to the Wildcats.
"Matt threw strikes and Bruce threw strikes," Leather wood said. "And we fielded the ball pretty well."
Portales is still awaiting the arrival of several key players who are on the basketball team. The Rams could have them by March 19, when they play their next game at Santa Fe Indian.
"We've still got seven or eight kids who are in basketball, and that put us at a little bit of a disadvantage," Rams coach Art Ontiveros said. "For sure, when those guys get out here, we'll match up a lot better."
