With the playoff seedings on the line, the McCurdy Charter School baseball team took care of business in two away games against Santa Fe Prep, on April 26, at the Tesuque Pueblo Field.
The Bobcats won the first game, 8-3, but it didn’t come easy, as they got themselves out of three tight jams.
The Blue Griffins had the bases loaded three times throughout the game, but only managed to score one run in the seventh inning, when the game was all but over.
“We got into those situations, but then we settled down when it came to it,” McCurdy head coach Roberto DeVargas said. “Sometimes when we play a team that is getting better, we tend to not focus as much. I’ve been telling them to focus on the little things and take care of business.”
The Bobcats have done just that, winning their last five games to guarantee a playoff spot, but now the goal is to finish in the top eight to ensure a home game in the first round.
“We need to finish in the top eight and I think that we can,” DeVargas said. “We have two more games against Mora and they lead their district, so two wins there would go a long way in helping our seed.”
McCurdy led 1-0 in game one through two innings, already escaping the first loaded bases threat from Santa Fe Prep, then took control in the third.
After Paul Maestas and A.J. Vallo reached the bases, Isaiah Archuleta sent them home on an RBI single.
The Bobcats had three more hits in the inning, including a triple by Josh Esquibel. They built a 6-0 lead and never looked back.
Kemmer Croff put in a solid pitching performance in 3 2/3 innings, allowing only one earned run, four hits and four strikeouts.
Devargas decided to replace Croff with Diego Borrego, to ensure he would be ready to pitch on April 28 against Mora High School.
“We can only throw 59 to 60 pitches on a one-day’s rest,” DeVargas said.
The Blue Griffins scored two more runs after Borrego took over the pitching duties, but neither of the scores were earned runs against him.
McCurdy came out hot in game two, scoring three runs in the first inning.
Sloppy fielding by Santa Fe Prep allowed Nikko Valdez to record a triple to score Vallo. Then, Croff hit a long, high RBI to left field.
The Bobcats added another run in the second and third innings — and two more in the fourth, to push the lead to 6-1.
The Blue Griffins got to within 7-4, then the game was called after the sixth inning due to sundown, giving McCurdy the victory.
The Bobcats improved to 11-5, overall and finished 9-3 in district play.