Cats cruise into tourney semifinals

ROSWELL — After a 12-2 loss to Hobbs in the season opener, the Clovis High baseball team has certainly found a lot of pitching.

CHS got another solid outing from junior Kayden Shober on Thursday and cruised past Ruidoso 9-0 in the quarterfinals of an eight-team tournament hosted by Roswell Goddard.

Since that loss in the opener of a doubleheader at Bell Park on Feb. 27 — Clovis won the nightcap 4-1 — the Wildcats (7-3) have allowd just 18 runs, including three shutouts and no more than five runs in any game.

Now, if the hitting would just pick up …

“We’re throwing the ball well and catching the ball really well,” Cats coach Richard Cruce said. “If we come up with some big hits today, that’a a five-inning game (on the 10-run rule).”

As it was, the Cats pulled away with eight runs over the final four innings. They got 11 walks and four hit batsmen by three Warriors pitchers, but stranded 13 baserunners.

Shober, though, was in control, allowing just two singles while walking three and striking out four.

“Kayden threw the ball well,” Cruce said. “He pounded the strike zone.”