Mean Moose split two games at home tournament

Alamosa’s Jaidyn Burciaga (1) steals second base before Monte Vista’s Kaden Mellott can apply the tag in Friday’s Mean Moose 18u Bash at Ortega Middle School. The Mean Moose defeated the Pirates 11-6 (Courier photo by Ken Hamrick).

ALAMOSA – The Alamosa baseball program began the annual Alamosa Mean Moose 18u Bash on Friday at Ortega Middle School.

The Mean Moose split its two games defeating Monte Vista 11-6 and losing to Taos (N.M.) 7-4.

The Pirates also lost to Bayfield 9-2.

Alamosa 11, Monte Vista 6

The Pirates took the early lead by scoring two runs in the top of the first inning. Jakoby Ross led off with a single and he came around to score on Kaden Mellott’s double. Kaden Madrid followed with a single, and both runners came home on Judah Howe’s single.

The Mean Moose answered with a run in their half of the first. Tony Griego drew a walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Griego scored on Gus West’s single to cut the deficit to 3-1.

Monte Vista scored three more runs in the second. Frankie Hernandez and Logan Futrell both walked, and Ross was safe on an error. Another error allowed Hernandez to score.

Kaden Mellott singled to drive home Futrell, and Ross came home on Madrid’s sacrifice fly to increase the Pirates’ lead to 6-1.

Alamosa came alive in the third as it took the lead by scoring seven runs. Jaidyn Burciaga singled, and Griego and Jayden Mizokami both walked to load the bases.

West singled home Burciaga, and A.J. Baker’s singled plated Griego. Brennan Maez doubled home Jayden Mizokami and West, and after Nelson Arambula walked to load the bases, Jonah Pittman also drew a walk to drive in Baker with the tying run.

Burciaga got his second hit of the inning, this time a double to bring home Maez and Arambula.

The Mean Moose added three more runs in the sixth. Burciaga led off with a walk and he went all the way to third on an error. He scored on Jayden Mizokami’s groundout.

West was safe on an error, and Baker singled. A wild pitch advanced Kobe Mizokami, who was pinch-running for West, and Baker. Both runners scored on Maez’s single.

The game ended at that point on the time limit.

Griego went the distance for the Mean Moose and he earned the win. He allowed six runs and seven hits and he struck out eight and walked two batters.

Kade Temple started on the mound for Monte Vista and he took the loss. He gave up seven runs and five hits while striking out three and walking four. Howe finished the game and surrendered four runs and four hits and he had one strikeout and four walks.

Leading the Mean Moose offense were Burciaga who went 2-2 with a double and two RBIs, West who went 2-4 with two RBIs, Baker who went 2-4 with one RBIs, and Maez who went 2-4 with a double and four RBIs.

The Pirates were led on offense by Madrid who went 2-2 with one RBI, and Kaden Mellott who went 2-3 with a double and two RBIs.

Taos 7, Alamosa 4

Taos was the home team on the scoreboard and it struck for four runs in the bottom of the first. The Tigers had no hits in the inning, but took advantage of three Mean Moose errors, one walk and one hit batter.

Taos scored another run in the second. Once again, the Tigers had no hits, but they drew two walks and Alamosa had another error. Taos stole four bases in the inning.

The Mean Moose got on the scoreboard with a run in the top of the fourth. West led off by getting hit by a pitch, followed by Maez reaching on an error, and Carlos Garcia drawing a walk to load the bases. Kobe Mizokami was also safe on an error and West scored on the play.

The Tigers scored two more runs in the fifth. The first two batters were hit by pitches and a pair of errors allowed both runners to come home.

After being no-hit in through the first five innings, the Mean Moose bats came to life in the top of the sixth. Kobe Mizokami reached on an error, and Josh Gonzales received a base on balls. Griego then broke up the no-hit bid with a single to drive home Kobe Mizokami and Gonzales.

Jayden Mizokami doubled home Griego, and West singled to give Alamosa two base runners. However, both were left on base and the game ended on the time limit.

West started on the mound for the Mean Moose and he was the losing pitcher. He gave up seven runs on one hit. He struck out six, walked four and hit three batters.

Jayden Mizokami finished the game and retired all three batters he faced.

The Mean Moose managed only three hits with Jayden Mizokami going 1-2 with a double and one RBI, West went 1-2, and Griego went 1-4 with two RBIS.

Bayfield 9, Monte Vista 2

After the first inning went scoreless, the Wolverines scored six runs in the top of the second. They had five hits and took advantage of two Pirate errors.

Monte Vista scored both of its runs in the bottom of the fourth. Jeremiah Baumgardner led off with a single and Madrid was safe on a fielder’s choice. Howe drove home both runners with a single.

Bayfield scored five runs in the fifth. It had three hits and the Pirates committed one error in the frame.

The game ended after five innings on the time limit.

Kaden Mellott was the Pirates’ starting pitcher and he took the loss. He gave up nine runs and eight hits while striking out 11, walking none and hitting one batter.

Ross finished the game and allowed no runs and one hit with two strikeouts and no walks.

Monte Vista accumulated four hits. Jeremiah Baumgardner went 1-1, Kaden Mellott went 1-2, Howe went 1-2, and Temple went 1-2.

Other games

In the final two games, Lamar defeated Taos 7-1, and it played to an 8-8 tie with Bayfield in a game that ended after six innings because of the time limit.

Today’s schedule

Monte Vista and Taos will play in the third-place game today at 10 a.m. The championship game will be between Bayfield and Lamar and will take place at 12:30 p.m.

Alamosa will not play today in order to give the four visiting teams the guaranteed three games.

Alamosa 11, Monte Vista 6

Monte Vista 330 000 – 6   7   3

Alamosa 107 003 – 11  10  2

Temple (L), Howe (3) and Madrid. Griego (W) and Pittman.

Taos 7, Alamosa 4

Alamosa 000 103 – 4   3   8

Taos 410 02x – 7   1   4

West (L), J. Mizokami (5) and Garcia. T. Fresquez (W) and Gonzales.

Bayfield 9, Monte Vista 2

Bayfield 060 03 – 9   9   0

Monte Vista 000 20 – 2   4   3

B. Anderson (W) and Forsythe. K. Mellott (L), Ross (6) and Madrid.