SantaFeToday.com Santa Fe’s Hometown News
By Arnie Leshin
Another disappointing 3A baseball playoff tournament defeat, fourth straight for St. Michael’s, and this one a real heartbreaker in the Nusenda Credit Union State tourney.
It was played for the initial time way out in west Albuquerque at the Jennifer Riordan Spark Kindness Regional Sports Complex.
It was decided in the top of the seventh inning early Thursday night when a twice tied, six lead changes clash brought 11th-seeded East Mountain (16-12) a last frame 10-9 win over the 3rd-seeded, District 2A champion Horsemen, who wound up at 16-10.
The go-ahead run came home on a wild throw by St. Michael’s senior second baseman Rahul Williams, who fielded a ground ball and decided to throw out a runner drifting off of third base, but the ball got away, the baserunner scored to make it 9-8, and Cole Darnell then singled in the second run to and it was 10-8.
The Horsemen put the first two runners on to start the last of the inning, but the lead runner was tossed out attempting to steal third. They did tally two batters later via a wild pitch that advanced the tying run into scoring position.
A walk to Williams and JT Rodriguez put two on with two out with Joaquin Sena, who bounced a hard come-backer to hurler Trace Kruger, who made a neat stop and barely throw out Sena at first.
Game time once again for St. Michael’s.
But not for East Mountain, which ousted defending champion New Mexico Military Institute, 4-3, before fading, 16-0, against No. 2 Roberson, which also topped 7th-seed Indian School, 8-4, and No. 6 Dexter, 20-2.
It’s become a habit for head coach Augustin Ruiz’ ball club. Last year, St. Michael’s went in as top seed and lost 8-5 to district rival, 8th-seeded Santa Fe Indian School in the second round following a 2-0 zip over 12th-seed Hatch Valley in the opener.
In 2021, it was the second seed and knocked out by another district foe, No. 6 Robertson, 11-7, at the outset.
Then there was 2020 and the No. 4 Horsemen blanked 13th-seed Zuni, 2-0, and No. 12 Dexter,13-3, before being eliminated again by the Cardinals, 12-9.
Rescued by no tournament in the 2019 COVID 19 Pandemic.
This time is was the pesky Timberwolves in a wild back-and-fourth match-up. They tallied first in the top of the initial inning and St. Michael’s went up 2-1 with a pair in the bottom.
After a scoreless second frame, it was the Sandia Park tenants going ahead 3-2 with a pair in the third. But back came the Horsemen with their pair in the third to take a 4-3 advantage, then it became 6-4 St. Michael’s after four.
But the scoring continued when East Mountain pieced together a 3-run fifth and went up 8-6 after six.
Then came the final frame when the Timberwolves tallied twice for a 10-8 lead, and leaving Ruiz’ team a run behind when it could only manage one in the bottom of the seventh.
This was for East Mountain avenging the 13-3 setback to St. Michael’s back on Feb. 28.
