Santa Rosa scores 42 runs in doubleheader
The Peñasco Panthers (4-9) were steamrolled by the Santa Rosa Lions (11-4) on Friday (April 8) in a doubleheader. Santa Rosa is the fifth-ranked team in 2A and has only lost to teams ranked above them. New Mexico Military Institute is not only ranked above Santa Rosa, but also plays in the bigger class of 3A. There have only been three games this season where the Lions have scored fewer than 10 runs in a game. In their past four games they’ve scored no fewer than 19 runs a game.
In the first game of the doubleheader, the Panthers were competitive for the first couple of innings. Both teams traded a single run in those two innings, and then Santa Rosa scored six runs in the third inning. After the third inning, the score was still within reason, 8-3, in favor of the Lions. In the fifth inning, Santa Rosa went on a scoring spree with 13 runs to give Peñasco an 18-run shellacking, 21-3.
The Lions had 11 hits, three of them as doubles. Jaron Sanchez and Josh Cordova both smashed one home run apiece.
In the second game, both teams came out the gates swinging for the fences. Santa Rosa scored five runs in the top of the first inning, and then Peñasco scored four runs in the bottom of the first inning. The pattern for the Panthers would end up being the same as in the first game: Keep it close in the first half of the ball game and then fail to match the firepower of the Lions. The Lions scored five runs in the fourth inning and then eight more runs in the fifth inning. Once again, they put up 21 runs. Santa Rosa stole 11 bases in the second game and connected for 17 hits.
Peñasco more than tripled their runs from the first game with 10 runs, but still lost by double digits.
Starting pitcher Johnny Velasquez got the win against Peñasco with an ERA of 21.00 for the game. His ERA for the season is 7.74. Velasquez also plays third base for the Lions and has a batting average of .415
In Game 2 action, Peñasco Pitcher Zack Gonzales helps his own cause with his foot blocking home plate just long enough to get the tag on Santa Rosa’s Marcos Chavez after a passed ball had Gonzales rush to cover home and take a nicely-placed throw from Catcher Donivan Aguilar to nab Chavez, who was trying to score from third base.