Storm baseball team 1-1 after 5-3 loss to Hobbs

RIO RANCHO – Coach Shane Shallenberger pointed out his team’s weakness in its second game of the season, a 5-3 loss to Hobbs on Friday.

“We left a guy at third base four innings in a row,” he said, and by game’s end, a fifth time.

“You gotta get the runs when you have the opportunity,” he said. “I thought we left quite a few out there, for sure.”

The Storm left seven on base by game’s end, six of those in scoring position.

Jarren Villa (0-1) started and threw the first five innings, striking out 11 and walking just one.

But after fanning the Eagles’ leadoff batter in the fifth, he gave up – in order – a triple, single, double and a double – and Hobbs turned a 1-0 lead into a 4-0 lead.

The Storm (1-1) got a run in the sixth without a hit, and threatened to tie or take the lead in the seventh.

With one down, Jacob Brevig had an infield single and Villa hit into a fielder’s choice. After a walk to Brandon Hennessy, Vinny Del Angel’s triple to left sent them home for 5-3. Silas Hilton, the team’s cleanup hitter, ended his 0 for 3 day with a groundout to end the game.

“I thought Jarren pitched fine,” Shallenberger said. “The ball found a couple holes for them. He had a good day for his first outing of the season.”

The lone walk Villa issued scored Hobbs’ first run.

• Saturday’s games are Hobbs-Los Lunas at 9:30 a.m.; Belen-Clovis at noon; and Cleveland vs. Piedra Vista at 2:30 p.m.