Santa Fe area schools baseball and softball action for Saturday

Santa Fe High baseball and softball teams hit the road for Saturday’s doubleheaders at Clovis, while the Capital High softball team plays a non district Saturday doubleheader up at Raton

Santa Fe Prep travels to Raton for a District 2-3A baseball doubleheader

By Arnie Leshin | April 15, 2017

It’s a long ride to Clovis, as in 215 miles, but Saturday’s doubleheaders against the Wildcats will be a better ride home if the Santa Fe High baseball and softball teams do well.

As the season winds down, it’s a chance for these programs to gain some ground in their respective District 2-6A standings.

After getting away to an 8-3 start, the Demons find themselves at 0-4 in district and 8-10 overall. The Demonettes are 7-10 and 0-4.

The good news for Randy Montoya’s softball team is that Clovis is winless in 19 starts, 0-4 in district. A sweep would move the Demonettes into fourth place in the six-school district. The DH is scheduled for 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. starts.

But because of the junior varsities also making the trip to play, the teams will travel on two buses.

Topping the standings is Albuquerque La Cueva, 4-0 in district and 17-2 overall. Right behind at 2-0 and 13-2 is Albuquerque Sandia, with Albuquerque Eldorado at 2-2 and 12-4, and Albuquerque Manzano at 9-6 and 2-2.

As for Tony Martinez’ baseball team that had won eight of its first 11 outings, it figures to have a tougher test. Clovis is 2-2 in district and 13-7 overall. A sweep would be dandy for the Demons, a split will do, because it could get them out of last place due to Manzano also being 0-4 (6-12 overall).

On top the district is La Cueva at 5-0 and 19-1. Second at 4-0 and 18-4 is Eldorado, next comes Clovis, followed by 2-2 and 9-8 Sandia, with Manzano in the basement with SHS.

After this, Santa Fe High is home in a non district game on Tuesday versus 4A neighboring rival St. Michael’s.

In 2-5A, Capital’s baseball team is 0-5 and 2-16 overall. It has had losing streaks of six and currently eight. The wins came over non district schools Wingate and Santa Rosa.

Albuquerque Academy holds down the top spot at 6-0 (14-5 overall). Next comes Albuquerque Del Norte at 3-1 and 6-9, while Los Alamos is 2-1 and 7-12, and just ahead of the Jaguars is Espanola Valley at 1-3 and 3-16.

Capital has already lost, 9-5, at home to the Sundevils, but still have a doubleheader coming up against them, with a chance to escape the cellar.

Before that, the Jags are in a non district doubleheader Saturday at Raton.

In 2-4A, St. Michael’s is off until the contest at the Demons, but are in a good position in the standings, 4-1 in district while 11-7 overall under new head coach Augustin Ruiz.

The Horsemen have won four of their last five, the last three by one run, 9-8 in extra innings over WLV, 3-2 over Taos, and 6-5 over Pojoaque.

But it’s a fairly balanced district, with Taos at 3-2 and 11-5, Las Vegas Robertson at 3-3 and 14-6, West Las Vegas at 3-2-1 and 9-6-1, and Pojoaque Valley at 0-5-1 and 8-11-1.

Santa Fe Indian School, in 4-5A, is 12-6 overall but 0-2 in district. But the four-school district has enough time for the Braves to move up in the standings. They have to deal with Albuquerque Sandia Prep (8-9, 2-1),

Bernalillo (2-1, 12-10), and East Mountain (0-1, 6-8), the next stop on the schedule for SFIS.

Softball on Saturday also finds in 2-3A, Santa Fe Prep at Raton and Tierra Encantada at Monte del Sol, Del Norte at Los Alamos in 2-5A, and in 2-4A, West Las Vegas at Robertson.

The Griffins are coached by Frank Lucero, who also had the same role when he was athletic director at Monte del Sol. They are in 2-3A and are 2-3 in district and 2-8 overall.

Raton is 9-7 overall, but leads the district at 5-0. Espanola McCurdy is 6-5 and 4-1, Pecos at 7-8 and 3-2, Tierra Encantada at 6-13 and 1-5, and Monte del Sol at 4-6 and 0-4.Sa