While the Dove Creek High School baseball team would have preferred a sweep of Nucla during a road doubleheader on April 28, the Bulldogs did not mind walking away with one win.
During the early innings of the opening game of the doubleheader, Dove Creek hung tough and entered the bottom of the 3rd inning with the game tied, 4-4.
A 10-run scoring explosion by the Mustangs in the bottom of the 4th inning blew the game open however, and Dove Creek went on to lose 17-5 in five innings.
“We lost focus and had a few errors and the wheels came off a little bit,” said Dove Creek manager Curtis Garver.
Collin Hobbs started the game on the mound for Dove Creek and allowed two earned runs in the first two innings. Kyle Schultz relieved Hobbs and was tagged for 10 runs in one and two thirds innings before Beau Hemphill finished out the game.
In the second game of the doubleheader, Dove Creek received stellar pitching from Jordan Ernst and won 8-5. Ernst also helped slugged two hits at the plate and drove in two runs.
“Jordan pitched well and everybody on the team contributed,” Garver said. “We didn’t have any major mistakes and we didn’t let our mistakes escalate. The team stayed focused and that’s what we’ve been talking about all year.”
With their record now at 8-11 on the season, Dove Creek will next play in their District Tournament, which will begin with a matchup against Primero in Pagosa Springs on May 1.
“(Primero) is good, but it’s definitely a winnable game,” Garver said. “We’re just trying to stay focused and win every game. Everybody is hoping to get back to that same spot that we were last year.”
“They are good, but it’s defeinitely a winnable game. We’re just trying to stay focused and win every game. Everybody is hoping to get back to that same spot that we were last year.”