La Cueva’s diamond dominance continues
The La Cueva Bears hit the big 21 on Saturday. As is often the case with that particular number, it was reason to celebrate.
With the 20th and 21st consecutive victories of this season, La Cueva, with its impressive doubleheader road sweep of rival Eldorado, clinched the District 2-6A baseball championship and almost certainly locked down the No. 1 seed for the upcoming state tournament.
The Bears (21-1, 8-0) rolled, 10-0 and 13-4 over the Eagles (14-7, 5-3).
“This is great,” said La Cueva’s Ryan Johnson, who had seven RBIs — including a bases-loaded, bases-clearing double, along with a three-run home run — in the second game. “We had the attitude that all fields are ours, and we came out and made a statement.”
Senior right-hander Jonathan Stroman fanned 11 Eldorado batters in the opener, which went a full seven innings. Austin Schlagel was 3-for-4, and Isaac Standridge belted a two-run homer to right-center for the Bears, whose Nos. 8 and 9 batters combined for five runs.
Johnson carried the heavy stick in Game 2.
He had an RBI double in the fifth, a three-run double in the sixth and then belted a three-run homer down the left-field line in the seventh.
“We just go out there and find a way to win,” said Schlagel. “This team is something special. We have a saying: ‘Keep the train on the tracks.’ ”
Stroman improved his record to 6-0 with his complete game in the opener. Ben Schoneman is 7-0 after winning Game 2. Schlagel had one of the more impressive stats Saturday outside of Johnson’s seven RBIs; after being retired in his first at-bat in the first game, he had six hits and a walk in his next seven plate appearances.
“I like where we’re at,” Bears coach Gerard Pineda said. “The depth (we have) is some of the best we’ve ever had.”
Baseball/softball notes
BASEBALL: Carlsbad’s Trevor Rogers on Friday pitched a fiveinning no-hitter against Gadsden, striking out 12 Panthers in a 10-0 victory. Rogers is up to 100 strikeouts in 45 innings for the season. The Cavemen (18-6, 6-4 in 3-6A) are two games behind first-place Hobbs (16-8, 8-2) going into their showdown doubleheader Friday at Hobbs. … From District 1-6A, Volcano Vista’s 3-1 win Saturday over Cibola keeps the Hawks (13-9, 5-1) in first place. Volcano Vista is at second-place Cleveland (19-5, 5-2) next Saturday for the 1-6A championship. … St. Pius clinched the District 5-5A title after defeating Los Lunas 7-0 on Friday.
SOFTBALL: La Cueva (21-0, 8-0), ranked 13th nationally in the CBS MaxPreps Xcellent 25 also clinched a 2-6A title Saturday after a 9-6, 15-2 sweep of Eldorado. … Cibola (13-7, 4-1) stayed in first place in 1-6A following its 13-6 victory Saturday over Volcano Vista.