Texico ends regular season with sweep

TEXICO — The Texico baseball team couldn’t have asked for a better ending to its regular season.

Saturday, the Wolverines closed out that portion of their spring by sweeping Lubbock Christian 9-4 and 9-3 to go 23-2.

“Good way to wrap up,” Texico coach Ty Thatcher said.

Saturday’s sweep ended a five-game week in which the Wolves went 5-0.

“Yeah, I was pleased with the week,” Thatcher said. “I think we played some good teams here in the closing part of the regular season. Lubbock Christian is a quality program — being three-years-running state champs is the real thing. They play the game very well. The guy that closed out Game 1 (Jaden Fowler) was 91, 92 miles per hour and had a really good breaking ball. Fortunately we capitalized early in the game and continued to chip away and get a few runs across during the rest of the game.”

The big blow was a bases-loaded, bases-clearing double in the first inning by catcher Brock Thompson, who wound up being thrown out trying to stretch for a triple.

Though Ben Crist (9-0) allowed seven hits in that game, he struck out 13 and walked none.

Cole Rohrbach and Robin Winton were each 3-for-3, with Winton’s day including a double. Chris Harrison was 2-for-3, including a double and triple.

Luke Phipps was the winning pitcher in Game 2, improving to 4-1.

Brayden Wines and Cian Holmes were each 2-for-3 in the nightcap, with Wines clouting a double and triple.

District seedings are due out today, determining where and against which team Texico will play on Wednesday.

“Most likely at our place,” Thatcher said. “I think we have locked up the No. 1 seed; I don’t see how they would not give it to us. ... It should be us and Estancia as the 1 and 2 seeds.”

Saturday

First game

Texico 9, Lubbock Christian 4

Lubbock Christian 000 040 0 — 4 7 2

Texico 421 020 X — 9 9 2

Parker Ramsey, Alex Timmons (3), Jaden Fowler (5) and Hunter Pitwell. Ben Crist, Dalton Thatcher (7) and Brock Thompson. Top hitters — Texico, Cole Rohrbach 3-for-3, 2 2Bs; Robin Winton 3-for-3; Thompson, 2B, Chris Harrison 2-for-3, 2B, 3B. W — Crist (9-0), L — Ramsey.

Second game

Texico 9, Lubbock Christian 3

Lubbock Christian 020 010 0— 3 4 2

Texico 210 231X — 9 7 3

Blake Delaney, Zach Rogers (5), Cade Landrum (7) and Josh Redding. Luke Phipps, Nathan Phipps (5), Cian Holmes (7) and Winton. Top hitters — Wines 2-for-3, 2B, 3B; Cian Holmes 2-for-3. W — L. Phipps (4-1), L — Delaney. Records — Lubbock 13-17, Texico 23-2.