The Colorado Dash trailed 7-5 after six innings, but three runs in the top of the seventh propelled the Dash to an emphatic 8-7 win over the Aztec (N.M.) Infuego in Connie Mack baseball action at Ricketts Park in Farmington, N.M., on Thursday night.
With the win, the Dash, formerly the Montezuma Bombers, evened their record at 4-4.
We were shorthanded, and some of the guys really stepped up, Dash coach Jason Hernandez said, noting only nine players suited up. We just got a good group of kids. They work hard.
Gerardo Martinez (Montezuma-Cortez) got the win on the mound going six innings and slugged a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate, while recording five RBIs.
Gerardo did his thing. Hes a good hitter anyway, but here in the last three games, hes really kind of broke out. Hes kind of on a tear. Thats what we need Gerardo to be doing, Hernandez said about Martinez, who will be a senior for the Montezuma-Cortez Panthers next season.
Ryan Janson (Farmington) got a hit in the seventh to spark the come-from-behind rally.
The Dash are made up of players mostly from Cortez, including 2010 graduate Keenan Garcia, who now plays center field at Central Arizona College in Coolidge, Ariz. The team also features 2011 graduates Chris Black, who pitches at No. 1 and will play golf at Trinidad State College in the fall; Ryan Haley, the shortstop, who will play football at Mesa State College in the fall; and pitcher Josh Whyte. Other returning Montezuma-Cortez baseball players include second baseman Devin Fox, catcher Tallon Ralstin, first baseman Stephen Candelaria and Major Lackey.
Players from other schools, in addition to Janson, are pitcher Anthony Parambo (Ignacio), pitcher/catcher/outfielder Sean Blanchard (Pagosa Springs) and Josh Wilks (Aztec).
The Dash play in the 16- to 18-year-old Farmington Amateur Baseball Congress wood bat division of Connie Mack along with the Durango Demons, Aztec Infuego, Naataanii Baseball, Strike Zone Cardinals and the Farmington Rivercats, Nutz and Sting. All games are played at Ricketts Park, so the Dash have to practice on their own time.
The Dash began their season 0-2 with losses to Naataanii Baseball, 9-1, and fell 6-0 to the Rivercats. Hernandezs squad rebounded with two straight victories over Nutz and Infuego, 11-8 and 7-1. Two consecutive defeats at the hands of the Cardinals (9-1) and Demons (16-6) were followed by 4-2 and 8-7 wins against the Sting and Infuego.
Consistency has been an issue this season, to say the least.
The level of baseball we play nightly is pretty decent. The first couple of games we lost right off, we werent hitting the ball, Hernandez said. But now, theyre really getting in the (batting) cages and getting some more swings. Were putting more runs up every game. I think the pitching has been fine, but the first couple of losses, we just didnt have the runs to go with that. Defensively, were playing all right enough to win.
Hernandez, who is also an assistant coach for the Montezuma-Cortez Panthers, said the next step for the Dash is to get that mental edge when stepping on the field again with the teams that have already beat them.
We were beating them (Durango) the other night 6-3 in the fourth and kind of let up, Hernandez said. They dont realize that theyre better than what they show. Every game weve been in it until the fifth inning or so. They need to get used to having that winning attitude, and to play to win and keep from losing.
The Dash have four remaining regular-season games left, beginning tonight at 5:30 against the Nutz. The Dash will face rival Durango on Thursday at 5:30 p.m., and play the Rivercats and Infuego next Tuesday and Wednesday at 8 p.m. The post-season double elimination city tournament starts Saturday, July 9. The tournament winner will represent Farmington in the Connie Mack World Series in August.
Hernandez is assisted by Bryan and Jeff Black. Hernandez has been a part of the Cortez Connie Mack baseball program for six years.
Reach Bobby Abplanalp at bobbya@cortezjournal.com.