Cavemen Sweep Organ Mt. Knights 9-2, 4-3

By Don Eskins

Carlsbad High, seeded sixth for this year’s state baseball tournament, swept the 11th-seeded Organ Mt. Knights 9-2, 4-3, in Round 1 of the NMAA’s Big Dance on Friday and Saturday, May 8-9, in the Cavern City.

With the sweep, the 18-10 Cavemen advanced to the quarterfinal round of the state playoffs to do battle with the third-seeded, 25-3, La Cueva Bears in Albuquerque on Thursday, May 14.

Due to deadline restraints, results of the game will be reported in the Friday, May 22, edition of the Carlsbad Local.

With a victory over the Bears, the Cavemen would move on to a semifinal-round matchup on Friday, May 15, against the winner of the second-seeded 25-3 Cleveland Storm vs. seventh-seeded 24-4 Eldorado Eagles clash. Game time has been scheduled for 7 p.m. at Lobo Field.

Should the Cavemen post a win in their semi-final round matchup, they’d earn a spot in the state championship game scheduled for Saturday, May 16, at UNM’s Lobo Field. Game time is set for 6:30 p.m.

CHS- Finding Ways to Win

Caveman head baseball coach Mike McGaha entered CHS’s state playoff first-round matchup with the Organ Mt. Knights with cautious optimism. While he had confidence in his charges, he also had a lot of respect for the Knights, especially the crew they had assembled for mound duty.

“We’ve been struggling at the plate off and on all season long, especially against teams with pretty good pitching,” said McGaha. “Organ Mt. possessed some of the best pitching in the state, so they were a cause for concern.

“But our kids responded. From the mound to making decisive game-winning plays on defense, to swinging the bat, our guys did what they had to do to get the sweep,” he said. “It’s a formula they’ve been playing with all season. Although not the most talented group of Cavemen to take the field over the past few years, they just keep finding ways to win!”

And finding ways to win, they did!

Cavemen 9, Organ Mt. 2

In control from the get-go, the Carlsbad Cavemen rolled over the Organ Mt. Knights 9-2 during opening-round play of the Class 5A State Baseball Tournament in Carlsbad on Friday, May 8.

On cruise control for all but one inning, sophomore hurler Wade Cozart limited the Knights to just two runs on six hits, while walking one and striking out 10, en route to the win.

Down 6-0 after five innings of play, the Knights, following a two-run rally in the top of the sixth, closed the gap to 6-2.

But the Cavemen, unfazed, pushed three more runs across the plate in the bottom half of the inning to squelch any idea of a comeback that Organ Mountain might have had.

Led by the multi-hit performances of Jayden Carter, 3-4; Mitchell Espinda, 2-4; and Mike Davis, 2-2, the Cavemen got to the Organ Mt. hurlers for 11 hits. Logging extra base hits (doubles) were Brock Wright, Connor Roberson, and Evan Lopez.

Collecting RBIs for CHS were Connor Roberson, 3; Ricardo Herrera, 2; Mike Davis, 2; and Eloy Lopez, 1.

Cavemen 4, Organ Mt. 3

After watching the Organ Mt. Knights tie up game two at 3-3 in the top of the fifth inning in the opening round play of this year’s state baseball tournament, the Cavemen picked up their bats and went back to work in the bottom half of the frame in a game played in Carlsbad on Saturday, May 9.

With pinch runner Jaxon Duarte on second base (in for Jayden Carter, who had doubled) and Wade Cozart on first, Brock Wright delivered a two-out RBI single to drive in Duarte and put CHS back out in front at 4-3. It would be a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.

The Cavemen, riding the right arm of Evan Ortiz, went on to shut out the Knights over the final two innings to grab the 4-3 win and punch their tickets to the quarterfinal round of state tournament play.

“Although off to somewhat of a shaky start, Evan settled down to give us seven good innings from the mound,” said McGaha. “And it couldn’t have come at a better time.”

The Knights were able to muster just one earned run on five hits and four walks against Ortiz, who also recorded 10 strikeouts.

Leading hitters for the Cavemen were Jayden Carter, Wade Cozart, EZ Lopez, Brock Wright, Mitchell Espinda, and Ricardo Hererra, all with one hit. Picking up RBIs were Lopez, Wright, Espinda, and Herrera.

Game 1: Friday, May 8

OMHS 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 2

CHS 0 1 0 1 4 3 x 9

Leaders: Eloy Lopez, 1-4, RBI, BB; Jayden Carter, 3-4; Wade Cozart, 0-3, BB; Brock Wright, 1-1, 2R, 3BB; Mitchell Espinda, 2-4, 2R; Connor Roberson, 1-2, 2R, 3RBI, 2BB; Ricardo Herrera, 1-3, 2RBI; Mike Davis, 2-2, R, 2RBI: Extra Base Hits: Doubles by B. Wright, C. Roberson, Evan Lopez; HBP, Mike Davis 2; Stolen Bases: M. Davis, 2; J. Duarte, 1; Team, 11-28, 9R, 8RBI, 7BB; 3Ks; WP, Wade Cozart 7in-6H-2R-2ER-BB-10Ks, 29 total batters; 99 pitches; 69 strikes. (Game Changer Stats)

Game 2: Saturday, May 9

OMSH 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 3

CHS 0 1 0 2 1 0 x 4

Leaders: Jayden Carter, 1-3; Wade Cozart, 1-2, R, BB; EZ Lopez, 1-3, R, RBI; Brock Wright, 1-3, R, RBI; Mitchell Espinda, 1-3, RBI; Ricardo Herrera, 1-3, RBI; Extra Base Hits: Doubles, EZ Lopez, W. Cozart, and J. Carter; Team, 6-25, 4R, 4RBI, 2BB, 6Ks; WP, Evan Ortiz, 7in-5H-3R-1ER-4BB-10Ks, 30 total batters; 112 pitches; 73 strikes. (Game Changer Stats)