Garcia strikes out 10, Castro's single saves day for Spartans in Moriarty Invite

MORIARTY — Now sitting at a fitting record of 9-5, Bernalillo baseball had to put in a full workday to advance in the first round of the Moriarty High School Invitational Baseball Tournament.

Thanks to a sixth-inning go-ahead knock from Ulisses Castro, the Spartans sneaked out a morning 4-3 victory over Capital High School.

Bernalillo’s offense was active from clock in to clock out, responding to a 1-0 Capital lead at the top of the second with a two-run frame in the bottom half, off the bat of Tyler Aguilar on a two-RBI single.

Zach Duran would follow suit in the third with a double for some insurance, pushing the lead out to 3-1.

Bernalillo might have had the last laugh over the Jaguars, but it would be Capital who would almost steal the show. After a 3-1 Spartans lead through four frames, the Jags would tag on two runs to even the box score in the fifth.

Capital’s comeback would stall a stellar day on the bump for Anthony Garcia. 

In the sophomore’s second start of the season, Garcia would toss 4 ⅔ innings of no-hit baseball with 10 strikeouts, but walks would become a setback. His four free passes would open the door for three runs, with only two of them being earned. 

A double-digit strikeout day from your starter and an early lead is not a game you want to end in a loss. Castro took that to heart.

His sixth-inning clutch hit would cap off Bernalillo’s seven-hit morning at the plate, with the pitching staff closing the curtains on the Jaguars’ day with a clean seventh inning for the win.

Notable stat lines from the dish include two-hit days from Duran and junior Hunter Alumbaugh, while Aguilar remained the lone multi-RBI contributor from the eight spot in the lineup.

Garcia’s outing earned him his first victory of the season after earning a no-decision in an eight-strikeout, four-run day against Moriarty on March 14.

Their ninth victory of the season came via just their third win while scoring less than five runs, leaning on the pitching staff when it mattered most.

Bernalillo will look to keep its pitching success rolling, along with clicking in all facets, through the rest of the bracket before starting district play March 31 at Hope Christian.