Pirates Tame the Wildcats

  • Pirates Tame the Wildcats
    Pirates Tame the Wildcats
  • Franklin Romero - CC Dominick Gonzales, 5, power slides, minus the dust, into third base in game one of the Prates vs. Wildcats in the first round of the state tournament. The Pirates, a number one seed, defeated the number 16 seeded Deming Wildcats in two games, 10-4 and 8-5.
    Franklin Romero - CC Dominick Gonzales, 5, power slides, minus the dust, into third base in game one of the Prates vs. Wildcats in the first round of the state tournament. The Pirates, a number one seed, defeated the number 16 seeded Deming Wildcats in two games, 10-4 and 8-5.
  • A focused Niko Young, 6, pitched the first game against the Deming Wildcats in the first round of the state baseball tournament. Young pitched seven innings and allowed eight hits, four runs, four earned runs, one walk and three strikeouts Franklin Romero - CC
    A focused Niko Young, 6, pitched the first game against the Deming Wildcats in the first round of the state baseball tournament. Young pitched seven innings and allowed eight hits, four runs, four earned runs, one walk and three strikeouts Franklin Romero - CC
  • GHS Pirate outfielder Boudy Melonas with quick reflexes throws the ball to second. The Pirate defeated the 16th seed in two games in a best of three series this past weekend to advance in the state baseball tournament. Franklin Romero - CC
    GHS Pirate outfielder Boudy Melonas with quick reflexes throws the ball to second. The Pirate defeated the 16th seed in two games in a best of three series this past weekend to advance in the state baseball tournament. Franklin Romero - CC

Pirates sent the Wildcats home in the first round of the state baseball tournament after defeating them in two games 10-4 and 8-5 respectively.

“We knew coming into the series with Deming that they were better than a 16 seed—it would be a good tough out,” said GHS baseball head coach Mike Furbee.

Dominick Gonzales, a sophomore, who pitches and is a heavy hitter for the Pirates said, “It was good to play after nine days—it was a good win for our team and it brings us closer to our final goal.”

In the first game played on Friday, May 5 the Pirates were up 4-1 by the bottom of the second inning, however, the Wildcats, who demonstrated that they were a worthy playoff team, knocked in three of their own runs to tie the game up at 4-4 by the end of the fourth inning.

The Pirates, proving their number one seed status, pounced right back and knocked two runs in the fifth inning and four runs in the sixth inning and prevented Deming from answering with any runs making the final score 10-4.

Dominick Gonzales led the Pirates with four RBIs, three hits, three runs and three at bats. Gabriel Marquez had three RBIs, two hits and three at bats.

In the second game, played on Saturday May 6, the Pirates scored one run every inning for the first three innings and knocked on three runs in the fourth inning while holding Deming scoreless.

The fifth inning remained scoreless, and at the top of the sixth inning the Wildcats were able to get two runs in. The Pirates answered back with two of their own runs making the score 8-2. Deming, with a last-ditch effort to score three runs at the top of the seventh inning—however, it was not enough—the Pirates left the field with an 8-5 victory.

“We didn’t play our best but we were able to take care of business,” said Furbee. The Pirates improved their record to 23-5, 8-0.

Next up for the Pirates in the quarter finals will be the Academy Chargers (16-10, 6-2). A team they beat on February 2 by a score of 5-4.

“We saw them (Academy) in our first game of the year–but obviously both teams are not the same teams that they were,” Furbee said of that upcoming game on Thursday, at 1pm in Albuquerque. “We expected to see their top pitcher who sits around 85 mph with the fastball—-we will have to amp it up this week.”

Izeyah Manzanares pitched five innings allowed two hits, zero runs, zero earned runs, two walks and strikeouts.

Dominick Gonzles pitched two innings allowed four hits, five runs, two earned runs, two walks and one strikeout.

Izeyah Manzanares had one RBI, two hits, three runs and three atbats. Gabriel Marquez had one RBI, one hit and four at bats. Estevan Barela had one RBI, one hit and three at-bats.

Hawk Softball

The Laguna-Acoma girls’ softball team (117,6-0) earned an eighth seed in the 2A girls softball state tournament and will host the ninth seeded Lordsburg High School (11-13, 3-9) on Wednesday, May 10 at 9 a.m.