ST. MICHAEL’S BASEBALL DISTRICT CHAMPIONS

Can’t forget District 2-3A baseball rival Santa Fe Indian School that visits district champion St. Michael’s Thursday in the final regular season game, and after that it’s a well-needed time off for Augustin Ruiz’ team.

Almost certain of landing the No. 1 state seed, how’s 17 days until it plays again after clinching district with Tuesday’s 14-8win at second place Robertson its sixth in a row. For Ruiz, it was his first district title since he became head coach of the Horsemen in 2016, and this team sports a 18-6 overall record, 10-1 in district, and is top-ranked in 3A.

“The last time I won district,” he says, “was when I was head coach at Pecos and we lost 6-4 to Texico in the 2A final. I think the last time St. Michael’s played in the 3A state final was back in 2012 under Taylor Gantt, who later became school president. HIs team lost to Bloomfield.”

This time, the Horsemen needed to turn back the Cardinals to be district champion. If they lost there Tuesday, Robertson would have won the tie-breaker, 2-1. And with right-handed senior pitcher Owen Gruda going the route and throwing 120 pitches, a lot for anybody. But he Just hung in there, striking out 11, walking two, and giving up a season-high nine hits.

“Well, we talked about it a couple of times and went over strategy with him In the fifth and sixth innings,” says Ruiz, “But give the kid credit, he went out there and got it done. He battled through it and did what he had to do.”

Ruiz added that it’s extra special having Gruda out there, that he has a variety of pitches, a change-up that is troublesome, a good fastball, and a curveball that hits the corners. As for college ball, the coach says that Gruda is checking around for one.

The rubber-armed Gruda would probably do fine moving on to college ball. He came into this game with one of the lowest earned run averages (2.40) in 3A and labored through his most challenging outing of the season by employing his wits, moving the ball around, mixing up his pitches, keeping calm and not getting rattled.

Ruiz confirmed this. “Yes, he says he used to be the kid that would flip out on the mound, but that’s history now, for now he’s 8-0 and managing his game on the hill.”

And he survived with plenty of help. The first five Horsemen batters combined for 13 runs and a dozen hits in what was a brutal start for Robertson starter Adrian Rivera. He had disposed of St. Michael’s in last year’s playoffs and followed it up earlier this season with a doubleheader sweep at the Christian Brothers Athletic Complex.

Leading the hit parade as usual was senior catcher CeeJay Saiz, whose father is an assistant coach and his freshman cousin, Derik, is a righty pitcher and utility player. No surprise that he reached base all five times, coming away with a 3-for-3 day that included a double, an RBI, and a pair of walks.

In touch with playing at 2-year Amarillo Junior College in Texas, he’s sporting an amazing .652 batting average, roughly twice as high as a solid everyday hitter. Behind the plate, the 6-1, 250-pound Saiz has a huge arm, is fun to watch says Ruiz, and adds that for his size, he hustles all the time.

“How about five home runs, 0.755 on base average, and an amazing nine stolen bases,” says Coach Ruiz in regard to Saiz.

Then there was junior cleanup batter Rahul Williams reaching base in his four at-bats and showed his speed in scoring three times in the initial four innings.

St. Michael’s led off with four first-inning runs, but Robertson responded with three of its own. It became 6-3 Horsemen with a run each in the second and fourth innings, but after the Cardinals tallied twice in the fourth, the Horsemen also scored three times in the fifth to go up 9-8 before their 5-run sixth.

And so the Horsemen never trailed, and regardless of how the contest against Indian School (12-10, 2-7) turns out, St. Michael’s owns the district title, and if it gets a most-certain bye, won’t play again until May 12.

The top four teams that get the extended byes move through the best-of-three opening round in the 12-team 3A bracket.

Meanwhile, Robertson is 16-7 overall, 7-3 in district, and ranked fourth in 3A, but might also receive a top-four bye that will keep it getting past the postseason start on May 6. The state quarterfinals begins at Rio Rancho Cleveland.

But Ruiz has plenty to like with his own team.

“It’s chemistry that we have,” he says, “and excellent team play. Along with Owen, we have quality pitching to go with good defense and plenty of hustle, and they trust each other.

“It’s the last year here for Isaac, my only son and a senior, and he’s my second baseman who has been accepted to move on to New Mexico State to major in engineering. Same with our senior Devin Flores heading to the Aggies.”

Versatile Flores, star of the football team and also on the track and field roster, made a remarkable diving catch of a sinking liner in front of him in right field with three runs in and two out in the bottom of the sixth, and robbed Rivera of maybe a pair of RBI.

“I also want to praise our first baseman John Leeder,” Coach Ruiz says. “He’s just a 6-4 sophomore and has been a very good surprise with his defense and hitting.”

So after the Thursday game versus the Braves at home, St. Michael’s will deservingly welcome the rest of time, especially Gruda. Of course there will be practices, but now the Horsemen will next take the field after scoring 241 runs and yielding 127.

The contest against Indian School is scheduled for 3 p.m. Also on Thursday is a reminder for Coach Ruiz when Pecos plays at Texico three hours later.

Elsewhere in 3A is Albuquerque Sandia Prep at 17-5 (10-1 in district), New Mexico Military Institute at 18-6 (8-4 in district), Zuni at 12-5 (6-0 in district), Cobre at 11-9(5-0 in district), and East Mountain at 12-7overall, and also in District 2, West Las Vagas is 5-14 overall and 2-8 in district.