Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Staff photo: Matthew Asher Grady sophomore Chance Shaw hits an RBI double in the third inning of Friday’s game against Dora. Shaw had a pair of doubles in the game, but Dora won 4-3.
Staff writer
FLOYD — The third time didn’t prove to be the charm for the Grady Bronchos.
link Staff photo: Matthew Asher
Grady sophomore Chance Shaw hits an RBI double in the third inning of Friday’s game against Dora. Shaw had a pair of doubles in the game, but Dora won 4-3.
Already having lost twice to Dora, Grady was unable to best the Coyotes in their third meeting of the season on Friday. Grady is still looking for its first win of the season after stranding 10 runners in a 4-3 loss in the second day of the Floyd round-robin baseball tournament.
Earlier Friday, the Portales junior varsity rallied for five runs in the bottom of the fifth to post a 6-5 win over the Bronchos (0-5) in a game shortened to five innings due to the time limit.
With the calendar saying April, but the snow on the ground showing a different season, strategies had to change with puddles on the basepaths making it difficult to slide.
Dora (5-1) scored two runs in each of the first two innings, thanks in part to doubles by starting pitcher Sam McConnell and catcher Aaron Jasso.
That was it for the Coyotes, though, as Grady’s Lucas Whitehead tossed a complete game with 12 strikeouts.
“Fantastic job,” Grady coach Richard Shaw said. “Luke is an excellent pitcher. He’s going to get better.”
The Bronchos didn’t make it easy for Dora as they cut the lead in half in the third inning on RBIs by Ryan Bone and Chance Shaw. The problem was their inability to score additional runs, as Grady stranded at least one runner in each of the first six innings, including two at third base.
In the fourth, Dora coach Mason McBee turned to Dalton Privett, who struggled in the first game against Grady this season. This time, though, he was able to pitch out of a couple of jams, getting a 1-2-3 double play in the fifth inning and throwing a runner out at home in the sixth.
“We wanted to take Sam out in the fourth inning and give Dalton some work,” McBee said. “It worked out perfectly. Today we weren’t hitting the ball well, but we still got the win. That’s important because you won’t always hit well.”
Coach Shaw was pleased with his team’s effort and knows the Bronchos will continue to improve.
“These boys just need to keep doing what they’re doing.” he said. “They’re going to earn it one of these times. They have to learn how to win. They haven’t done it in a while.”
Friday’s games completed Grady’s participation in the round-robin, while Dora faces Portales JV at 10 a.m. and host Floyd at 4 p.m. today. In between, Floyd plays the Portales JV.
Lion Classic
At Santa Rosa
Consolation semifinals
Melrose 11, Pecos 8
Melrose 203 060 —11 7 3
Pecos 040 031 — 8 6 5
Chris Fisher, Wyatt Williams (6) and Blake DeVaney; Duran, Mario Archuleta (4) and Ricardo Teran. W — Fisher. L — Duran. Top hitters — Melrose: Jordan Jasso 1-3, 2-run 2B, 2 runs; Fisher 1-4, 2-run 1B; Williams 1-2, RBI, 3 runs, 2 BBs. Pecos: Daniel 1-2, 2-run 1B, run; Joseph Vigil 3-4, 2B, solo HR, 2 runs. Records — Melrose 3-1, Pecos 4-7.
