Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Portales High junior Zane Mayberry dives back into first base safely on a pickoff attempt during the first game of Monday's baseball doubleheader against Raton at Ram Field.
PORTALES – The Portales High baseball team opened its 2023 campaign with a dominant sweep of Raton on Monday night, blitzing the Tigers 9-4 and 21-1 at Ram Field.
Freshman left-hander Carson Pfaffenberger pitched five no-hit innings in the opener, and the Rams carried a 9-0 lead and the no hitter into the seventh before the Tigers (1-3) broke through for four runs on four hits and two PHS errors.
Pfaffenberger walked four batters and struck out 12.
Senior catcher Noah Swift went 2-for-2 with a pair of run-scoring singles for the Rams, while sophomore Alex Luscombe delivered a pinch-hit, two-run double in the fifth. Senior first baseman Travin Price was hitless, but drove in a pair of runs on infield grounders.
Raton was pretty much out of pitching in Game 2, and the Rams scored 10 runs in the first, five in the second and six in the third. The game ended on the 10-run rule after 4 ½ innings.
The Rams pounded out 14 hits, with junior left fielder Andru Ontiveros hitting a pair of two-run singles and senior second baseman Eljah Tellez hitting a pir of run-scoring doubles and an RBI triple and scoring three times. PHS also benefitted from 10 walks and four hit batsmen.
Junior left-hander Edel Legarda allowed a first-inning run, but threw a five-inning, four-hit complete game, with two walks and six strikeouts.
Next up for the Rams in a noon doubleheader against Highland on Monday in Albuquerque.
