Volcano Vista rallies for District 1-5A title
Hawks score 4 in ninth to beat Rams
A roundup of the last week in prep baseball for Rio West programs:
VOLCANO VISTA: The Hawks had four runs in the top of the ninth inning — off consecutive doubles by R.J. Alderete, Brock Sullivan and Andre Vigil — as Volcano Vista won the District 1-5A title with a 6-2 victory at Rio Rancho.
Volcano also swept two games from Cleveland last Saturday, 4-2 and 8-0. The opener went eight innings, and the Hawks rallied late to force extra innings. Vigil belted a two-run home run in the second game.
The Hawks (15-7, 6-1 in district) close out the regular season today with a 10 a.m. doubleheader at Cibola.
RIO RANCHO: The Rams (17-7, 4-3 in 1-5A) are at Cleveland for two games at 10 this morning.
Rio Rancho’s Brendan Wanchek pitched well in the loss to the Hawks, going eight solid innings.
The Rams took two games from Cibola last Saturday, 7-3 and 11-1.
CIBOLA: The Cougars (11-11, 3-4 in 1-5A) are coming off a 5-1 victory Tuesday over Cleveland as they prepare to play host to Volcano Vista today.
Trey Patterson tossed a fivehitter in Cibola’s win, and Casey Peery had three of the Cougars’ 10 hits.
Cibola could overtake Rio Rancho for second place in district, but only if the Cougars sweep Volcano Vista and the Rams get swept by Cleveland.
CLEVELAND: The Storm (11-13, 1-6) can only hope to improve its state seeding position today when Rio Rancho visits for two games.
VALLEY: The Vikings (1311, 6-4 in district) locked up third place in District 5-5A on Thursday night, whipping Highland 13-0 behind the 2-hit performance of left-hander Steven Bishop. Davi Mondragon drove in three runs for the Vikings. Andrew Montoya doubled, tripled and had two RBIs.
Bishop in his previous start threw a five-inning perfect game last Saturday against West Mesa, a 10-0 victory.
The Vikings fell 9-3 to Rio Grande on Tuesday night, despite a 3-for-3 outing by Bo Coleman.
WEST MESA: The Mustangs (11-13, 5-5 in 5-5A) closed the regular season Thursday, losing 16-8 to Atrisco Heritage Academy.
West Mesa edged Albuquerque High 5-4 on Tuesday, as Marco Manjarrez hit a home run for the Mustangs.
He also homered in the loss to Atrisco.
ST. PIUS: The Sartans (15-6, 7-0 in district) have clinched the District 5-4A championship going into their doubleheader today at Albuquerque Academy.
St. Pius pounded Moriarty 13-3 on Tuesday to officially secure first place. There was no further information available on that game.
The Sartans also swept a doubleheader from Del Norte last Saturday, 4-2 and 10-4. Rey Reyes pitched a complete game for St. Pius in the opener, and Alec Cogburn drove in a pair of runs.
In the second game, Adam Baros gave the Sartans strong relief pitching, and Cody Bower homered and drove in three runs as St. Pius overcame a 4-0 deficit.
The Sartans are fighting for a top-four seed in the Class 4A state tournament.
BERNALILLO: The Spartans close the regular season today with a home doubleheader at 11 a.m. against Española Valley.
Bernalillo (7-17, 6-4 in 2-4A) beat Santa Fe 6-1 on Wednesday, and dropped a 7-6 nondistrict decision to St. Michael’s on Monday. The Spartans also swept a district doubleheader from Capital last Saturday, 4-0 and 5-1.
Bernalillo is tied for second place in district with Española Valley, and the Spartans almost certainly need to sweep both games today to get to the state playoffs in 4A.