ALBUQUERQUE – Alexis Hernandez surrendered only three hits and the Piedra Vista High School baseball team showed its prowess at the plate and in the field on its way to a convincing 10-0 rout over Cleveland in the New Mexico Activities Association’s Class 5A championship game Saturday night at Lobo Field.
Hernandez, who threw only 62 pitches on the night, was aided by a strong Piedra Vista defense and a quiet Storm offense that produced only one baserunner in scoring position in the five-inning decision.
For the Panthers, which came into the tournament as the No. 4 seed, it is its fifth state championship in baseball and first since 2014. Cleveland, which entered the tournament as the No. 2 seed, has yet to win a state title in baseball in four appearances in the championship game.
“I’m just so blessed to be able to coach a great bunch of kids like this,” said Jeff Kiraly, Piedra Vista head coach. “The offense, the defense, this is the best team I’ve ever coached here.”
The Storm squandered an opportunity in the bottom of the first inning with two on and nobody out before Benjamin Herman struck out and Francisco Hernandez grounded into a double play.
The Panthers got on the board in the top of the second with a two-out RBI single by Zack Zweschper and a two-RBI double to the wall in left field off the bat of Cody Clugston, driving in Zweschper and Eliyas Barton.
With a 3-0 lead, Piedra Vista starting pitcher Alexis Hernandez got help from his defense in a clean bottom of the second inning. Zweschper made a diving catch in shallow right field to prevent an extra-base hit off the bat of Caleb Sandoval.
Piedra Vista center fielder Mason Courtney made another diving grab to thwart a potential Cleveland threat in the bottom of the third inning. With Anthony Del Angel on first, Caleb Budagher hit a line drive that Courtney caught on a dive to keep the Storm off the board.
Hernandez was effective in the first four innings on the mound, throwing 45 pitches and striking out three while relying on his defense to keep the Storm off the board.
“We knew this team and we knew what we had to do to keep their bats quiet,” Hernandez said after the win.
The Panthers added to their lead in the top of the fifth, sending 12 batters to the plate and scoring seven times. With two on and one out, Alejandro Hernandez doubled on a line drive to center field, scoring Kade Aragon and Kyle Murphy. That ended the night for Cleveland starting pitcher Larvie, who was replaced on the mound by Deegan Goldberg.
Barton delivered an RBI double scoring Tony Reynolds before J.W. Bayless added an RBI single that plated Barton and gave the Panthers a commanding 7-0 advantage.
Still in the top of the fifth inning, Clugston tacked on another two-RBI single, scoring Tyler Swarts and Bayless. Goldberg was pulled from the mound after surrendering four hits without recording an out, replaced by Caleb Sandoval.
Zweschper scored on a wild pitch to make it 10-0 heading to the bottom of the fifth inning.
Hernandez finished the night with four strikeouts. The game ended when Peyton Noel grounded into a fielder’s choice to ensure the run-rule victory.
Piedra Vista advanced to the championship game by surviving a late scare, topping No. 1 seed Rio Rancho by a final of 4-2 in the Class 5A semifinals Friday night at Lobo Field.
Kyle Murphy was sharp on the mound for the Panthers. Through the first five innings, he allowed one run on four hits and threw only 69 pitches. He pitched into the seventh inning and allowed only two runs on five hits, striking out five before Alexis Hernandez finished the contest.
Rio Rancho starter Richie Reiffenberger, by contrast, threw 84 pitches in 3 1/3 innings of work before Jacob Lucero replaced him.
Eliyas Barton, Zack Zweschper and Murphy each recorded extra base hits in the win.
Trailing 4-1 in the bottom of the seventh, Rio Rancho got their offense rolling after Brayden Bustillos led off the frame with a walk, followed by Ryan Barreras who was hit by a pitch. Murphy then gave up a double to left field, scoring Bustillos and ending the night for Murphy in place of Hernandez.
With a pair of runners on base and nobody out, Chase Rivera popped out to Barton before Dean Ellison struck out looking and D’anjelo Aragon flew out to right field to end the contest.
In Thursday’s dramatic 7-6 quarterfinal win over Las Cruces, pitcher JW Bayless threw a complete game while also going 4-for-4 at the plate.
Bayless’ two-run single in the bottom of the seventh inning lifted the Panthers to victory over Las Cruces. On the mound, the ace of the staff much of the season struck out seven and walked two batters in a 109-pitch outing.