La Cueva scores 12 in fourth to stomp Storm

Yup, that’s a 5 on the Storm side of the scoreboard, as starting pitcher Austin Barela delivers a first inning pitch to La Cueva. By the time the Storm came to bat in the second, their lead was down to 5-2. (Herron photo)

ALBUQUERQUE – It’s never a good idea to “poke the bear,” and on Wednesday afternoon, poking the La Cueva Bears resulted in the Cleveland High baseball team’s third loss in its last four games, a 19-9 five-inning affair in the Northeast Heights.

Cleveland (15-6) poked early, scoring five times in the first inning off La Cueva pitcher Trevor Johnson.

Jaren Villa got the ball rolling with a leadoff double on the game’s first pitch, and Chase Tyler, pitcher Austin Barela, Silas Hilton and Anthony Del Angel each followed with singles before Johnson recorded an out. Brandon Hennessy’s groundout plated a run and Malachi Jaramillo capped the big frame with an RBI double.

The Bears (15-4) used three hits and a walk to score twice off starter Barela in their half of the first.

Del Angel – prompting cries of “He’s a freshman” from the Storm dugout – led off the third with a home run, making it a 6-2 CHS lead.

A one-out walk, fielder’s choice and three consecutive singles plated three runs for the Bears in their half of the third and it became a one-run contest, 6-5.

Usually solid pitcher Jaden Davis moved from second base to the mound to start the third fourth and, if you went to the car for something you forgot, you may have missed his stint on the hill.

He faced six batters, giving up four hits and a walk, along with a bunt intended to be a sacrifice that instead became a fielder’s choice. Coach Shane Shallenberger had seen enough; pitching coach Adam Burke sent Davis back to second – all six batters he faced scored – and summoned Joseph Stevenson, who didn’t have much better luck.

He faced 11 Bears, getting the required three outs, but not before another six runs scored.

Coming up in the fifth, the Storm trailed 17-6 and needed two runs to keep the game alive or lose via the 10-run mercy rule, which came soon after the Bears came up in their half of the inning.

Hilton kept the hopes alive with a single and one out later Gabe Nelson singled. With two down, Jaramillo doubled again, giving the Storm the two runs they needed to keep playing. Jaramillo scored on a single by Stevenson.

Four La Cueva batters later, the game was over: Stevenson gave up a single, got an out, a double and a two-run single.

Cleveland 17, Atrisco Heritage Academy 2: One day earlier, the Storm did a little stomping of their own, scoring eight runs in the bottom of the first and cruising to a District 1-5A rout of the last place Jaguars (9-11, 0-4).

Villa and Tyler had three hits apiece in the Storm’s 17-hit attack; Hennessy drove in four runs, and Villa and Tyler plated three apiece.

Starting pitcher Logan Kinter got the victory, and Villa closed it out.

Extra innings: The Storm have two opportunities to improve their standing in District 1-5A next week, with a 4 p.m. game at Cibola on Tuesday and a 6 p.m. game at the Shockyards Friday vs. Volcano Vista.

… The Storm’s nine runs were more runs than La Cueva’s opponents had scored in the last four games, and the most given up by the Bears excepting their 15-5 loss at Rio Rancho in the APS metro championship game. The Storm had allowed only 18 runs total in their previous six games.