Peter Dindinger — NMMI Sports Press
After four years of domination by the Texico Wolverines and two tournament cancelations due to a shortened season and the pandemic, a new champion will be crowned at the finale of the Sertoma Colt Classic.
On Friday night during the championship semifinals, the New Mexico Military Institute Colts defeated the Santa Rosa Lions 11-5 at NMMI Ballpark to punch a ticket into the championship.
NMMI hasn’t won its own tournament since 2015. The Colts face Shiprock at 7 p.m. Saturday in the title game.
“That was a great game. Great effort by Santa Rosa. They battled,” said NMMI head coach Charlie Ward. “It’s baseball. We’re going to make mistakes, I understand that. Base running — not as bad.
“We still have to take care of a couple things, but way to fight for 21 outs.”
The Lions put the pressure on in the first inning, taking a 2-0 lead on an RBI double by Jaron Sanchez and a sacrifice fly by Tristin Marin that drove in Sanchez.
NMMI began to chip away in the bottom of the second.
After a leadoff double by Miguel Rivera, Norberto Valencia was hit by pitch to put runners in scoring position.
Courtesy runner Gael Garza scored after Valencia got caught in a pickle at first.
An error by the first baseman, a single by Bailey Mego and a hit by pitch issued to Niko Rice loaded up the bases.
Tegin Maloney came into the clutch by driving in two runs on a single to center to put the Colts on top 3-2.
NMMI added another run in the third after an RBI groundout by Rivera that brought in Jose Barcelo.
Trailing 4-2, the Lions took advantage of three errors to cut the deficit to one run in the top of the fourth.
The Colts increased their lead to 5-3 in the bottom half of the frame when Maloney drove in Mego on a groundout to short.
Santa Rosa came back to within one after Jykub Gage stole home in the top of the fifth. Gage was initially called out at the plate, but a balk was called to make the run count.
NMMI answered back in the bottom of the fifth by scoring on a sacrifice fly to right by Mego that drove in Luis C. Patron.
The Lions punched back in the top of the sixth by taking advantage of an error to make the score 6-5.
NMMI rallied for five runs in the bottom of the sixth to gain some breathing room.
Four runs were scored on an error with the bases loaded.
Maloney reached on an error, Barcelo was intentionally walked while Rivera drilled a single passed the second baseman to setup the situation.
Valencia hit a routine ground ball to third which led to an overthrow that allowed three runs to score. Valencia then crossed home plate on a botched throw to third.
Patron followed up with a triple to center. He later scored on an RBI ground out by Gentry Caplan.
Rivera tossed five innings, striking out eight batters and allowing three earned runs on four hits.
Caplan relieved for 2/3 of an inning, giving up one hit while tallying one strikeout. Barcelo sealed the deal by shutting down the final 1.1 innings with one strikeout.
Maloney finished 1 for 4 with three RBI while Rivera went 2 for 4 with a single, double and an RBI.
Mego tallied two singles and an RBI to go 2 for 4.
The Colts had eight hits to Santa Rosa’s five.
Patron went 1 for 2 with the triple.
“We’re in the championship. There’s going to be a new winner tomorrow,” Ward added. “We got a chance, that’s all you can ask.
“They’re growing as a family, and we talk about brotherhood. They’re understanding it. We’re putting a group together that’s going to give us a chance to compete anytime.”
>> COLT CLASSIC SCORES (DAY 2)
- Texico 14, Dexter 2 (5)
- Tularosa 7, Hatch Valley 5
- Shiprock 11, Capitan 10
>> DAY 3 SCHEDULE
- Dexter vs. Hatch Valley, 10 a.m. (Seventh-place)
- Texico vs. Tularosa, 12:45 p.m. (Consolation championship)
- Capitan vs. Santa Rosa, 3:30 p.m. (Third-place)
- Shiprock vs. NMMI, 7 p.m. (Championship)
NMMI 11, Santa Rosa 5
SANTA.….2001110 — 5 5 5
NMMI……031115x — 11 8 5
Santiago Pacheco. Miguel Rivera, Gentry Caplan (6), Jose Barcelo (6). W — Rivera. L — Pacheco. 2B — Santa Rosa: Jaron Sanchez. NMMI: Jose Barcelo, Miguel Rivera. 3B — NMMI: Luis C. Patron. HR — None.
Records — Santa Rosa (3-3); NMMI (9-0).