No. 1 Logan posts sweep over Melrose

MELROSE – Unbeaten and defending Class 1A state champion Logan broke away from Melrose with a nine-run sixth and defeated the Buffaloes 16-4 in six innings on Friday in the opener of a District 3-1A baseball doubleheader. The top-ranked Longhorns (18-0, 9-0 district) then won the nightcap 23-3 in five, scoring 10 times in the third and seven in the fourth.

Freshman Mason Wallin went 6-for-7 in the doubleheader with six RBIs – four in the opener – and four runs scored. Sophomore Skyler DeLuca finished 3-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI, while junior Kaeden Stoner struck out 10 in hurling a three-hitter.

Defending 1A runnerup Melrose (9-5, 5-4), which should be the second or third seed in the six-team 1A state tournament, got 2-for-3 efforts from freshman Levi Loomis – who had a two-run triple – and sophomore Cy Draper.

In the second tilt, Longhorns freshman Aydin Kotara was 4-for-5, scoring three times and driving in three. Senior Jaryn Bruce and sophomore Josiah Roybal were both 1-for-2 with a run scored for the Buffs.

In another 3-1A finale on Friday at Cimarron, the host Rams (6-9, 2-7) split a pair with Grady, edging the Bronchos 6-5 in the opener before dropping the nightcap 4-1. Cimarron took the season series from Grady 2-1 and will likely vie with Elida for the sixth seed in the 1A state meet.

In Thursday area baseball games:

Elida 23-11, Dora 8-1 – In District 2-1A at Elida, the Tigers used several big innings to subdue the Coyotes. Both games ended early on the 10-run rule.

In the opener, Elida (11-5, 6-3 district) scored 13 runs in the second, then added six in the third after Dora (2-10, 2-7) had plated six in the top half. Senior Jose Jimenez led the Tigers, going 4-for-4 with a double and a home run, driving in eight runs and scoring four.

Eighth-grader Bodey Fraze went 2-for-2 with four RBIs and three runs scored, while freshman Radlee Ferguson finished 3-for-3, scoring three times and driving in one. Junior Seth Jimenez doubled and tripled in four at-bats, and freshman T.J. Kennedy had a double, scored four times and knocked in three.

For Dora, sophomores Mason Christensen and Roddy Neal and eighth-grader Carson Kircher were all 2-for-3 while junior Cole Kircher and eighth-grader Timothy Neal both went 2-for-4. Christensen had three RBIs while Cole and Carson Kircher each drove in a pair.

In Game 2, the Tigers broke a 1-1 tie with a nine-run fourth and senior Jose Jimenez pitched all five innings, allowing only an unearned run and striking out six. Kennedy went 2-for-3 with a double, an RBI and a run scored while senior Levi Victor was 1-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored.

For the Coyotes, Neal and senior Jordan Hurst each had a single.

Texico 16, Pecos 6 – In District 6-2A, the Wolverines routed the Panthers with eight runs in the top of the first and went on to a five-inning win. Texico (10-11, 6-3), ranked 10th in Class 2A, should earn a berth in the 12-team Class 2A state tournament and could possibly get a first-round home game on Wednesday.

Senior Tristan Chavez was 3-for-3, driving in four runs and scoring three for the Wolverines. Senior Bryson Crow added 3-for-4 with a double and triple and also drove in four runs while scoring one, and junior Easton Cooper finished 2-for-2 with a double, two RBIs and two runs scored.

Gateway Christian 17-10, Floyd 7-3 – At Roswell, the District 2-1A champion Warriors (11-7, 9-0) led 17-0 after three and ended the opener in 4 ½ frames on the 10-run rule, although the Broncos (1-13, 1-8) made it a bit interesting with a seven-run fourth.

Sophomores Rayf Ferguson and Caleb Moore each went 3-for-3 with three runs scored. Ferguson had a double and drove in three runs while Moore hit a triple and had a pair of RBIs.

Four players had a hit apiece for Floyd, including doubles by senior Aralyn Singleterry and sophomore Joseph Contreras.

The second game was far more competitive and went the full seven. The Broncos closed to 5-3 with a three-run sixth, but the Warriors scored five in the bottom half to pull away.

Senior Hayden Wigley went 3-for-4 with four RBIs and a pair of runs scored for Gateway, while sophomore Ethaniel Wigley was also 3-for-4 with a double, an RBI and three runs. Junior Isaias Nieto was 3-for-3 with a triple, a run scored and an RBI for Floyd, while senior Brayan Gallegos and junior Daegan East hit run-scoring singles in the sixth.

In a District 4/1-2A softball game on Tuesday at Eunice, Dora (7-9, 2-7 district) dropped a 20-3 decision to the Lady Cardinals (12-8, 5-4).

Golf – Clovis Christian’s boys hosted what was supposed to be a three-team invitational on Friday at Farwell Country Club, but largely because of the weather the Eagles had the only full team in the event.

Junior Noah McKay led CCS, shooting 41-38 – 79. Other scores for the Eagles included senior Carter Teune, 41-40 – 81; senior Caleb Van Beek, 40-42 – 82; eighth-grader Brock Teune, 44-45 – 89; freshman Zachary Lingnau, 44-50 – 94; senior O.B. Blanco, 53-42 – 95, and senior Austin Lingnau, 50-45 – 95.

In a Tuesday tournament at Lovington, Texico’s girls finished fifth in a six-team field, shooting a team tally of 408. Roswell Goddard took team honors at 333 to 354 for Alamogordo, 356 for Hobbs and 358 for Lovington, while Artesia came in at 434.

Sophie Schaap led the Lady Wolverines, shooting 45-47 – 92, followed by Liz Elam at 46-50 – 96. Other scores for Texico included Gabriella Delarosa 51-59 – 110, Sierra Hunt 58-52 – 110 and Brylee Russell 60-60 – 120.

Medalist for the day was Goddard’s Chase Fields with a three-over 75.

The Eagles and Lady Wolverines will be in District 1-3A competition on Tuesday at New Mexico Military’s golf course in Roswell.