Day two of the seventeenth annual Artie Escobado Memorial Match was underway on Friday afternoon.
On a sizzling and muggy afternoon at Runyon Sports activities Advanced, the groups within the match have been preventing for place within the standings. The match’s second day noticed some motion on the prime of each divisions.
The primary set of video games for the day featured Azteca Blue 17U defeating Foutain-Fort Carson 10-1 on Hobbs Subject whereas PuebLocos defeated Spradley 18U 11-7.
The second set of video games featured the Azteca 16U going through off towards Greeley Grays with the Grays taking the sport 5-0 and the Pueblo Azteca 18U group going through Wow Issue.
Extra:Artie Escobado Memorial Match kicks off with Azteca Blue 18U win
Blue 18U shutout Wow Issue
The second recreation for the Azteca Blue 18U group noticed them go up towards one other native membership within the Wow Issue.
Beginning on the mound for the Blue’s was pitcher Jaiven Baca. He went 5 innings giving up no runs and placing out seven within the course of. Ethan Ayala would are available in for reduction of Baca and toss two shutout innings himself incomes the save.
Offensively, Baca was supported by three runs within the third inning when Beto Robles would attain first when he was hit by the pitch. Then JoJo Mendoza and Baca would additionally attain and finally, all three would rating. They might add yet another within the backside of the fourth and three extra runs within the backside of the sixth inning to shut out the sport 7-0 in seven innings.
Head Coach Dylan Gavin was happy along with his group’s efficiency after this one.
“The boys, they got here out and so they confirmed up and so they performed with vitality and so they have been locked in,” Gavin stated. “Nevertheless the rating finally ends up on the finish of the day, all you possibly can hope is that they are right here getting higher at baseball and attempting to compete.”
Gavin additionally talked about staying targeted on the subsequent recreation and never attempting to get to forward of themselves.
“These children have been sufficient of all these tournaments their entire life in order that they perceive the way it goes and so they perceive it’s far more than simply the primary two video games of a match,” Gavin stated. “So it is good that we have set ourselves up on this place, however we we’re wanting ahead to rather a lot, much more baseball.”
Gavin additionally spoke on the truth that this group has an opportunity to repeat as match champions this yr, one thing they haven’t but achieved.
“Anytime you possibly can play for a championship or defend a championship, you are all the time wanting ahead to it and it is all the time good for this system,” Gavin stated. “However there’s quite a lot of different groups hungry, searching for their first one, so we all know that and we’ll come proper to play.”
Ayala, who got here in to earn the save, additionally spoke about his efficiency on this one.
“I felt fairly assured occurring the mound,” Ayala stated. “My bullpen earlier than the sport was good. It had a excessive depth and energy to it. So, I felt fairly good occurring the mound.”
With the win, the Blue 18U solidified a prime spot within the division with an opportunity to complete it out because the primary seed.
“It is a good win for the group going into the second a part of the match 2-0,” Ayala stated. “That was a superb group win. We simply need to carry out in entrance of our mother and father and followers and allow them to know that we’re right here to play and never right here simply to fiddle. That it is our match to go on the market and compete.”
The final day of round-robin play of the match commences on Saturday afternoon with Azteca 18U going through off towards Azteca 17U. Right here is the remainder of the schedule for Saturday’s motion:
Saturday
- 1 p.m. (HOBBS) Azteca 18U vs. Azteca 17U
- 1 p.m. (NUCH) Greeley Grays vs. PuebLocos
- 4 p.m. (HOBBS) Fountain-Ft. Carson vs. Wow Issue
- 4 p.m. (NUCH) Spradley 18U vs. Azteca 16U
- 7 p.m. (HOBBS) (G1) third Place (Clemente) vs. 4th Place (Williams)
- 7 p.m. (NUCH) (G2) 4th Place (Clemente) vs. third Place (Williams)
Standings
Clemente Division
- Azteca 18U 2-0
- Wow Issue 1-1
- Azteca 17U 1-1
- Fountain-Ft. Carson Trojans 0-2
Williams Division
- Spradley (18U) 1-1
- Greeley Grays 1-1
- Azteca 16U 1-1
- PuebLocos 1-1
Extra:seventeenth annual Artie Escobado Memorial Match takes place June 27-30 at Runyon Advanced
Christopher Abdelmalek is a sports activities reporter for the Pueblo Chieftain and may be reached at cabdelmalek@gannett.com or observe him on X, previously Twitter, @chowebacca. Help native information, subscribe to The Pueblo Chieftain at subscribe.chieftain.com
