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Wolverines, Eunice clash in 2A opener
Grady takes on top seed Gateway Christian in 1A state meet.
When his team takes the field against Eunice in the Class 2A state baseball quarterfinals on Monday, Texico coach Richard Luscombe is definitely looking for a different outcome than their earlier meeting.
Luscombe noted that the Cardinals took advantage of a bad day in the field by Texico and routed the Wolverines 13-1 on April 24 at Texico.
The teams play at 10 a.m. Monday at Eldorado High School.
In Class 1A, the Grady Bronchos will be making their first state appearance since 1994 when they face top-seeded Gateway Christian in a 1 p.m. quarterfinal on Monday at the University of New Mexico’s Lobo Field.
Texico (14-2), seeded fourth in the eight-team 2A bracket, has had a solid season for the most part. Its worst game, though, came against the Cardinals (15-7).
“It was a situation where if we could just make a play, we’re out of an inning,” Luscombe said. “They’re a good team, but I think we’ll have a really good chance this time.”
Texico won the then-combined Class 1A-2A title in 2005, then finished second in 2006. Last year, the Wolverines edged Santa Rosa 5-4 before losing in the semifinals to Lordsburg 12-11.
Eunice finished second to Loving in its district, thus having to play its way to state and earning a lower seed. Luscombe, though, was disappointed in his team’s seed.
“I thought we’d be seeded higher than fourth,” he said. “Everyone ahead of us except (top-seeded) Estancia has seven or eight losses.”
Luscombe said he was leaning toward starting senior right-hander Casey Crist in Monday’s game.
“When we played them before, he did a good job of hitting his spots,” Luscombe said. “They (Cardinals) hit the ball well. They do a good job of putting the ball in play, so we’ll have to have a good defensive game.”
Grady (4-4) has has a tough time getting games in this spring. The eighth-seeded Bronchos won their two-team district by taking three of four from San Jon.
Grady coach Jim Kneipp knows his squad has its work cut out, but said the Bronchos are ready for the challenge.
“They’ve beaten some good 2A and 3A schools,” he said of the two-time defending champion Warriors (15-5). “They’ve got a good ballclub. It looks like they have some good pitching.”
Kneipp, who plans to start senior right-hander Brian Blackburn on the mound against Gateway, said the Bronchos have probably the best defensive infield they’ve had in his time at the school in junior third baseman Alex Sotelo, soplhomore shortstop Jarod Allen, junior second baseman Tanner Allen and freshman first baseman Tyrel Wilson.
“We’re going up there and give it a shot,” Kneipp said. “They’ve got a lot of good athletes, and it’ll be a major challenge for our kids.”
Semifinals in both classes are scheduled for Tuesday, with championship games on Wednesday at noon in 1A and 3:30 p.m. in 2A at Isotopes Park, home of Albuquerque’s Triple-A minor league team.
STATE PAIRINGS
At Albuquerque
(Seeds in parentheses)
Class 1A
Monday’s quarterfinals
At UNM Lobo Field
(4) Elida vs. (5) Questa, 10 a.m.
(1) Gateway Chrsitian vs. (8) Grady, 1 p.m.
At St. Pius H.S.
(3) Valley Christian vs. (6) Gallup Catholic, 10 a.m.
(2) Mesilla Valley vs. (7) Cimarron, 1 p.m.
Class 2A
Monday’s quarterfinals
At Eldorado H.S.
(4) Texico vs. (5) Eunice, 10 a.m.
(1) Estancia vs. (8) Mesa Vista, 1 p.m.
At La Cueva H.S.
(3) Lordsburg vs. (6) Pecos, 10 a.m.
(2) Loving vs. (7) Penasco, 1 p.m.
