Rams keep winning on the diamond

RIO RANCHO — Sole possession of first place in District 1-5A was what visiting Rio Rancho and host Cleveland were playing for Tuesday, April 15, with the Storm definitely not needing another district loss.

The Rams (16-4, 4-0) won twice last week to stay unbeaten and atop the standings prior to their showdown at the Shock Yards Tuesday.

Rams 3, Cibola 2Despite out-hitting the Rams on April 8, the visiting Cougars (13-5, 1-2 after the loss) couldn’t pull off the upset.

Upset is the appropriate term: The Cougars haven’t beaten the Rams since April 24, 2018, an 18-17 laugher.

Had not the Cougars committed a few errors and wild pitches, they might have left with a victory. Or had they made better contact, as the Rams pitchers struck out 11, and every hitter in the Cibola lineup fanned at least once.

Instead, with the tying and go-ahead runs aboard and only one out in the top of the seventh, Jacob Lucero came to the mound and got a two-pitch save, inducing Daniel Kean and Isaac Brito to hit harmless fly balls to the Rams’ outfielders.

RRHS starting and winning pitcher Adan Bustos struck out but reached first on a third-strike wild pitch, and pinch-runner Micah Takahashi went to second on a sacrifice by Alex Gallegos, advanced to third on a passed ball and scored on another wild pitch for a 1-0 lead.

The Cougars got on the board with a solo homer by Ryan Hutchinson in the fourth, and the Rams took a 2-1 lead with an unearned run in their half of the frame. Matt Cook reached on an error, went to second on a groundout and plated on an RBI single by pinch-hitter Brayden Bustillos.

The Rams scored their final run in the fifth without hitting the ball out of the infield, capitalizing on a walk, passed ball and another wild pitch.

Richie Reiffenberger, perhaps setting a record as his cap fall off his head 45 timers during his brief stint on the mound, relieved Bustos in the fifth and struck out four before allowing two CHS baserunners with one down in the seventh.

Enter Lucero — and his two pitches to end the game.

“We’ll take it,” RRHS coach David Gomez said. “’Lucero’s been doing really well. Credit to Cibola — they really put it together. … (But) their mistakes left the door open for us.”

He was unaware that the last time the Cougars beat the Ram was the farewell appearance for beloved RRHS pitching coach Ray Chavez.

Rams assistant coach Gino Satriana had the inside dope on Reiffenberger’s cap: The freshman started with a medium-sized cap, went to a small and now wears an extra-small cap — yet it still falls off his head.

Rams 3, Piedra Vista 1On Friday, the Rams and visiting Panthers were locked in a pitchers’ duel until the fifth, when the Rams scored all the runs they’d need to win.

Alex Gallegos got it started with a single to center and headed to second on a sacrifice by Noah Serna.

Adrian Varoz walked, as did Anthony Knoll and then Logan Sunstrom, whose walk forced home Gallegos.

Wyatt Tinker’s single to center scored Varoz and Knoll, but Ryan Barreras struck out and Matt Cook grounded out to end the rally.

Starting and winning pitcher Brandon Segal was one out away from a complete game, but needed help from Reiffenberger, who got a save by getting the game’s final put after the Panthers ruined the shutout bid.

The Rams were out-hit 5-3 by PVHS (13-7, 1-3), but those three walks in the fifth were costly. The victory ran the Rams’ record at home to 11-1.

Extra inningsThe Rams travel to Farmington to meet the Scorpions at 4 p.m. Friday, April 18. RRHS won the first meeting, 10-9, on April 1 at Rio Rancho, decided on a bases-loaded walk to Lucero.

… Next week, the Rams are home Tuesday to meet Volcano Vista and at Cibola on Friday. Both games start at 4 p.m.