Clovis baseball team moves to 6-0 in District 2-6A

SANTA FE — It’s heard all the time in baseball — you can never have too much pitching.

Clovis High’s baseball opponents may think the Wildcats do, but the ’Cats themselves like how well-stocked they are in the arms department.

Saturday, two of those arms were snapping pitches effectively, as seniors Connor Langrell and Sebastian Nunez allowed just three hits in their team’s doubleheader against Santa Fe, and both fired shutouts in a sweep. Langrell tossed a one-hitter in which Clovis prevailed 1-0; Nunez hurled a two-hitter in a 4-0 Wildcat victory.

“Sebastian and Connor had great outings again today,” Clovis coach Richard Cruce said. “They pounded the zone and allowed our defense to work by throwing a lot of strikes today.”

Langrell (6-0) struck out nine and walked two in the opener, but also helped himself with the game’s only consequential offense. With no score in the top of the fifth, Joe Gallegos beat out an infield single, stole second base, and scored when Langrell ripped a double down the right-field line.

That was all Clovis could muster against Santa Fe starter Manny Martinez, who scattered six hits. Half of those hits were supplied by Langrell, who went 3-for-4.

Nunez (4-1) kept it going in the nightcap with his two-hit gem that included six strikeouts and no walks.

Offensively, runs were once again hard for the ’Cats to come by, as they scraped together one in the third, two in the sixth, and one in the seventh.

It turned out Clovis would only need the first run, which scored after Anthony Gonzales reached on an outfield error, stole second, took third on an error by Santa Fe’s catcher, and crossed the plate on a Gallegos sacrifice fly.

Two insurance runs came in during the sixth after Cam Kuykendall walked, Connor Langrell singled and Garrett Langrell swatted a two-run double to dead center field.

Clovis’ fourth and final run scored in the seventh. Nunez walked and courtesy runner Cadyn Campbell was sacrificed to second by Kayden Shober. Gonzales struck out, but raced for first base on a dropped third strike. He was out there, but Campbell hustled to third and a throw from first base bounced past the Santa Fe third baseman, allowing Campbell to trot home and make it 4-0.

Santa Fe’s Isaiah Apodaca pitched well through his six innings of work, as did reliever Nate Heild in the seventh. Apodaca allowed just three hits, Heild no hits, but three errors hurt the Demons.

Clovis’ shutout streak climbed to 43 straight innings. More importantly, the Wildcats climbed to 19-3 overall, 6-0 against District 2-6A competition. MaxPreps currently has them ranked second in the state, 135th nationally.

“As a coach you can’t ask for anything better ... finding a way to win ballgames,” Cruce said. “This group of guys believes they can win ballgames.”

Next up for the ’Cats will be their last regular-season home action, when they entertain Sandia in a doubleheader this Friday at Bell Park. The first game is slated to begin at 4 p.m.