Cats split first two games

HOBBS - Clovis High's baseball team dropped an 8-1 decision to Los Lunas on Thursday in the opener of a four-team, round-robin tournament hosted by Hobbs.

The Wildcats (1-1) grabbed a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when junior Joseph Albert singled and eventually scored on a single by junior Jasiahs Jimenez. But it was all Tigers after that.

"They're very athletic," CHS coach Richard Cruce said of Los Lunas. "They have a lot of kids who played on their state (Class 5A) championship football team."

Los Lunas (4-2) broke the game open with a five-run fourth for an 8-1 lead, highlighted by a two-run double from senior Vlad Olivas. Sophomore Nathan McIntosh relieved JImenez at that point and worked four scoreless innings, allowing two hits with a pair of strikeouts.

Three Tigers hurlers combined to limit the Cats to four singles. Clovis has just six hits in two games.

"We knew going in it was going to be tough because we're so young," Cruce said. "We saw a lot of improvement from Tuesday; we hit a lot of balls hard but right at people."

Clovis 3, Lovington 1 (Tuesday) - Sophomore right-hander Will Jordan pitched 4 2/3 no-hit innings as the Cats opened the season with a low-scoring win at Bell Park.

Jordan walked two and struck out 12 before giving way to sophomore Jayden Jameson, who went the final 2 1/3 innings for a save. He allowed two hits and an earned run, walking one and striking out one.

"Will's our guy," Cruce said. "He pretty much dominated from the beginning with his fastball.

"There's a lot of upside with Will, and we're looking for some big things as the year goes on. And I'm proud of Jayden Jameson for coming in there and pounding the strike zone."

The Cats manufactured a couple of runs in the bottom of the third to take the lead. Senior Derek Bretz walked, stole second and went to third on a balk before junior Joseph Albert was hit by a pitch.

Bretz then scored on the back end of a double steal with Albert. The second run came home on a bases-loaded walk to freshman Kobyn Rivera.

They added a run in the fifth when senior Justin Lawson was hit by a pitch and eventually scored on Jordan's sacrifice fly.

Junior right-hander Jonathan Aceves worked three innings for Lovington and took the loss.

Softball - Clovis absorbed a season-opening 11-1 loss at the hands of Alamogordo in neutral-site game played on Tuesday at Roswell.

The Lady Wildcats broke on top in the top of the first when senior Demi Garcia reached on a single and eventually came home on a single by senior Marina Sena.

But it was all Alamo after that, as the Lady Tigers plated seven runs in the bottom of the first and added four more in the second. The game was called after 4 1/2 innings on the 10-run rule.

CHS returned to action on Saturday with a 1 p.m. doubleheader at Volcano Vista. The Lady Cats are then off until traveling to Roswell Goddard for a pair starting at 4:30 p.m. on March 15.