Three-run triple seals St. Mike’s win

With the finish line to the regular season already in sight, the St. Michael’s baseball team is sitting pretty in the District 2-4A standings.

The Horsemen (11-7 overall, 4-1 in 2-4A) padded their lead in the district race with a 6-5 win at Pojoaque Valley on Tuesday afternoon. Sean Latham worked four innings in relief to get the win on the mound while Jason Romero delivered the hit of the game with a three-run triple in the fifth inning.

Trailing 3-1 in the third after committing five errors in the early going, St. Michael’s put things together in the fifth. Romero erased the Elks’ lead when he cleared the bases with his clutch effort at the plate.

“What a huge at-bat that was,” said Horsemen head coach Augustin Ruiz. “We scrapped our way back into it and Jason came up big exactly when we needed him.”

Romero had two hits in the game and finished with four RBIs. Jonah Baca also went 2-for-4, driving in a run and stealing a base.

Jude Mondragon got the start on the mound for St. Michael’s but the left side of his defense failed him time and again. Four of the team’s five errors in his time on the mound came from the Horsemen third baseman and shortstop.

Latham came on in relief and was credited with the win. He lost his first three decisions of the season but is now 3-3 after Tuesday’s win.

Nate Aguilar took the loss for Pojoaque. He started and worked into the fifth when St. Michael’s rallied into the lead.

The Elks scored twice in the bottom of seventh before Latham got the final out.

The Horsemen now have a 1½ game lead in the district race heading into some idle time this week. The team is off until next week in observance of Easter.