Dolores and Dolores County high school varsity baseball teams played four games on Friday, March 16, during the first round of the annual Cortez JV Baseball Tournament, which was held at Parque de Vida and Englehart ball parks.

Dolores pounded Montezuma-Cortez JVs 11-2 in the first game and came right back to outlast Ignacio 15-13 in the second game at Parque de Vida. Dolores County crushed Kirtland-Central JVs 13-1 in its first game but lost to Bayfield 5-4 at Englehart Field in the other side of the bracket. The Bears were coming off a 32-0 thumping at Moab, Utah, on March 13.

The Bears certainly had their bats with them, especially birthday boy Kevin Fane. He cracked a double and a single and picked up two runs batted in. Nick Martin ripped two singles and a double and Aeson Reed belted a triple. In all, the Bears finished the game with nine hits.

They jumped out to a 3-0 lead after the first inning but the Panthers came back with a pair in the bottom of the first. Dolores scored once in the second and added three more runs in the third for a 7-2 lead. They put the game away with four runs in the top of the fourth. The Panthers tried to rally when they had runners on but they could not get them home in the bottom of the fifth. The game was shortened because of the eight-run rule after five innings. Dolores took advantage of five MCHS errors.

Cade Fox started on the mound for the Panthers and was relieved by Cody Coate in the third. Fox took the loss. Creed Willford went the distance on the hill in picking up the win. He fanned four and walked only two.

In the second game with Dolores up 2-1, the Bobcats pushed five runs across the plate in the top of the second. Lawrence Cloud cracked a two-run triple in that inning. Dolores scored four times in the bottom of the fourth for an 8-6 lead. Ignacio responded with four runs in the top of the fifth to go up 10-8. Time and time again, the Bobcats managed to hit Texas League singles and other bleeders. The Bears rallied for three runs in the bottom of the inning to tie the game at 11-all. Ignacio went up 12-11 with a run in the top of the sixth but Dolores came back with four runs in the bottom of the frame. Cullen Zion smacked a two-run single with the bases loaded to lead 15-11. Ignacio added two more runs in the top of the seventh but it wasn’t enough. Ignacio had the tying run on but could not get him home.

Zion went the distance on the mound in picking up the win for DHS. Jessie Herrera took the loss for IHS.

Reed knocked four runs in with two triples and two singles. Fane continued to celebrate his big day with a double and two singles and two RBI. Martin slapped three singles while Colter Dunagan belted a double and a single and knocked in two runs. Dolores finished the game with 15 hits. Cloud ripped two triples for IHS while teammate Luke Robbin belted a triple and two singles.

"We played pretty well considering we haven’t gotten outside," DHS head coach Jim Everin said following the double-header. "What we still need are good-quality reps and practice on a field. But we got some reps in this game. We hit the ball well with guys on base. We made a few little errors but otherwise we looked good. I think we have a pretty good baseball club."

The Bulldogs had no problems with K-C JVs. After trailing 1-0, DCHS pushed three runs over the plate in the top of the third, seven more in the top of fourth and three in the top of the fifth.

Terence Gardner went three-for-four at the plate, including slugging a three-run homer in the fourth inning. Dallas Coker helped himself at the plate by going two-for-three including a double and knocking in three runs. Chris Kail picked up three RBI with a double. Keith Pierce and Casey Spitzer each collected hits.

Coker worked the shortened five-inning game. He struck out eight and yielded only two hits.

Bayfield scored four unearned runs in the top of the third inning and added one more in the sixth. Dolores County scored once in the first, and added one in the fourth and two in the bottom of the seventh. Dallas Daves belted a two-run homer in that inning but it wasn’t enough. Gardner slugged two doubles and knocked in a run for DCHS.

Rory Martinez completed the sweep with a four-hit, one-walk, 14-strikeout complete game against Dolores County. Gardner went the distance for DCHS and pitched well, fanning eight batters and walking only three while giving up only three hits.

Steve Qualls had two of them, including an RBI double in a four-run third inning. Jon Qualls had an RBI single, and two runs were scored on passed balls in the big inning. Matt Gonzales drove in the fifth run with an RBI double off the center-field fence in the sixth.

At Aztec, the Panthers blasted Pagosa Springs 13-2 in a game which was a lot closer for most of the game. Leading 4-2, the Panthers scored nine times in the top of the seventh inning.

Tony McComb belted two home runs in the game in going three-for-five at the plate.

"We hit the ball real well, especially in the seventh," MCHS head coach Chuck Cotter reported. "Everyone hit the ball."

Kevin Wayman worked all seven innings for MCHS. He struck out nine and walked only two in picking up the win.

"That’s two games we have gotten seven innings out of our pitchers. That’s good for this time of year," he noted.

Cotter was pleased with his team’s defense.

"Except for that first inning against Kirtland-Central, we have played solid defense," he said.