Pirates on 11 Game Win Streak

There’s always one game that’s closer than expected, the Valencia Jaguars rolled into Grants last Friday, April 19, played the Grants High School baseball team for eight innings in one of the Pirates toughest challenges at home.

The Pirates, who were on a 10-game winning streak, were up 3-1 after the first two innings. The Jaguars added four runs in the third, fourth and fifth innings to the Pirates 0 runs for a 5-3 Valencia lead at the end of the fifth inning. The Pirates were struggling to keep momentum.

“There were no game adjustments---other than getting the players to understand what was at stake as far as playoff seeds go,” said GHS head baseball coach Mike Furbee when asked if he made any adjustments midway through the game.

The Pirates took the words to heart and bounced back. At the bottom of the sixth inning, Pirate Diego Lopez triples to the right field allowing the Pirates X Martinez and Boudy Melonas to score. That was followed by Pirate Dominick Gonzales who singles a hard ground ball to center field allowing for Chris Chambers and Izeyah Manzanares to score tying the game up at 7-7. Sophomore Estevan Barela hits a fly to left field allowing for Diego Lopez to score the winning run.

The Pirates extended their winning streak to 11 wins in a row and are currently ranked second in 4A baseball.

“We took the team lightly as well as the distractions of prom week are part of the reason we didn’t play our level,” said Furbee.

Estevan Barela pitched four innings allowed nine hits, four runs, three earned runs and had six strikeouts. Izeyah Manzanares pitched three innings allowed three hits, three runs, one earned run, four walks and 12 stakeouts.

Estevan Barela and Dominick Gonzales had two RBIs apiece, followed by Niko Young and Diego Lopez who had one RBI a piece.

Next up for the Pirates will be St. Pius at 13-7, 32 and second in district 5 4-A.

“A win against Pius will put is in full control of the district,” said Furbee.

The Pirates defeated the Sartans by a score of 4-3 on April 3 at home and will face off with the Sartans on the road this round on April 23.

The Pirates are still firmly in second place 4A state rankings at 17-5,5-0, just behind the Goddard Rockets at 15-5, 3-0.

CIBOLA COUNTY SPORTS ROUND-UP

The lady Pirates tennis team defeated tough district rival St. Pius 6-3 at St. Pius last Tuesday, April 16 and advance to 9-3, and 4-0 in state.

Number 1 Alexia Munson defeated Grace Reyes 6-4, 6-3. Number two Abriyah Urioste defeated Briana Lucero-Brown 5-7, 6-4 and 6-1. Number three Annaliesa Lowther defeated Lena Hernandez 2-6, 7-6 and 63. In doubles play, number one Alexia Munson and Karsyn Cash were defeated by Grade Reyes and Lena Hernandez 4-6, 6-3 and 6-4. Abriyah Urioste and Annaliesa Lowther defeated Brianna Lucero-Brown and Victoria McElhanon 4-6, 6-3 and 6-4. Number three Kaylee Sandoval and Maya Yates defeated Tayla Baggerly and Mariam McCollum 6-3 and 6-2. On April 19 they went on to defeat Gallup 9-0 after the Bengals forfeited.

Next up for the lady Pirates will be the lady Eagles of Belen 11-8, 4-1 on April 23 in a home match.

The GHS boys’ tennis team is currently 20-9, 04 after a 9-1 defeat by St. Pius. Number one Pirate Isaiah Tena defeated Matthew Randall 6-2, 4-6 and 6-4. Number two Carlos Fernandez defeated Brandon Eklund 61 and 6-1. Number three Chris Harris was defeated by Brady McCoy.

The lady Pirate softball team is currently 5-16 and 1-4 after a 14-3 loss to the Valencia Jaguars in a district game. The lady Pirates are fourth in District 5 4-A softball and will play St. Pius at home on April 25. Chardazcha McNiel had 1 RBI in that game.

The Laguna-Acoma lady Hawks softball team is 10-4 and on a five-game winning streak after a recent 161 and 11-1 defeat of the Zuni Thunderbirds (315, 1-3) in a doubleheader. Next up for the lady Hawks is another double-header against Navajo Prep (6-10, 2-1) on April 25 at home.

The L-A Hawk baseball team is 10-6, 1-1 after splitting in their last match up, a doubleheader against district rival the Rehoboth Christian Lynx 12-2 and 14-3 respectively. Next up for the Hawks is a double-header against Estancia (5-11, 2-0). The Hawks are third in district 2 ½ just behind Rehoboth Christian in second place and Estancia in first place,