Take me out the ballgame. The place to be last Tuesday, April 9, was the Grants High School baseball field, as the Pirates played one of their more impressive games of the year. The Pirate baseball team was in a battle with formidable district rival, the St. Pius Sartans (15-5, 5-1), in a nail biter that ended with the Pirates coming up short 9-6 at the end of 7 innings. “We made a couple of mistakes—that was the difference,” said Grants High School Head Coach, Walter Sarracino. “We can’t make mistakes against teams like that.”

The Laguna-Acoma Hawks baseball team won their most recent games 8-1 and 11-4 on April 23 over district rival Navajo Pine High School (3-11, 0-2) after a recent string of losses. “Saturday we went to play Navajo Pine and we were able to take both of those games.

Ready, Set, Go! Adrian Montoya of San Rafael Elementary sprints his way across the finish line at the end of school year track meet held for area elementary schools. Milan Elementary was the meet winner for the larger elementary schools and Bluewater won for the smaller elementary schools. Franklin Romero - CC

This week's Athlete of the Week is Dominick Gonzales of the Grants High School baseball team. Dominick, a freshman, hit a home run at the bottom of the 5th inning bringing in three runs that tied the score 5-5 against the St. Pius Sartans in a crucial district game match up on Tuesday, April 19.

The Grants High School boys’ baseball team continues with their success after double-digit wins last week. On Tuesday, April 12, the Pirates earned a win in the big district game against the Belen Eagles (10-8, 2-2) by a score of 11-1. The Pirates had a good balance of offense and defense in that crucial district game. “We hit the ball well and we surprised them with a new pitcher,” said Grants High School head coach, Walter Sarracino.

The Hawks hit a tough spot on their most recent victory roll as they went 0-3 last week. They lost both games of a doubleheader against the formable district rival the Rehoboth Lynx (15-1, 2-0) on Tuesday, April 12, by 10-0 in the first game and 11-1 in the second game.

April brings wind and a wind down of baseball and softball season for local teams they enter the last month of play. The Laguna-Acoma Hawks (11-3) continue to chalk up wins and most recently completed two double headers two days apart and went 3-1. On Thursday, April 7 they traveled to the four corners and played Navajo Prep (3-13) and defeated them 19-7 in the first game and lost a close one in the second game, 4-3. “We came into the second game a little over confident and ended up losing a close one in the bottom of the 7th,” said first year head coach Brandon Gonzales. “It's never fun to lose but we have used that as a learning moment.”

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Four players made their first-ever starts for the New Mexico United in the club’s 5-0 romp over NPSL opponent Las Vegas Legends on Wednesday night. Those four newcomers accounted for four goals and a clean sheet on the evening, as United won comfortably – turning the second round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup into a rout, and punching their ticket to the third round. Goals from newcomers Raddy Ovouka, Carl Sainte, and Jerome Kiesewetter, and another from familiar goal-scorer Chris Wehan paced the Black & Yellow, who were playing host in the tournament for the first time in their history. Goalkeeper Ford Parker – also making his first start for the club – earned a clean sheet on the field where he played his college soccer for the University of New Mexico.

GRANTS, N.M. – The Pirates went 2-1 this past week and are currently 13-7, 1-1 as district play moves forward.