LA JARA – With second place in the intermountain League on the line, the Centauri High School baseball tram hosted a doubleheader against Alamosa Friday at the CHS field.

After the dust had settled, the teams remained in a tie for second place as they split the twinbill. The Falcons came back to win the opener 11-10, while the Mean Moose responded with a 21-3 win in the night cap.

“I don’t know what was going on in that first game,” said Alamosa coach Tony Kechter. “We just not all there and we weren’t mentally prepared. That goes on the coaches as well. We preached it all week that if you let them hang around and give them hope, they’re going to hang in. And that’s what happened.”

“We came out strong in the first,” said Centauri coach Tyler Buhr. “We played pretty well. Our bats got hot and then they got hot. We had to weather the storm and come back. We ran out of guys in the second and they got hot with the sticks.”

Game 1

The Mean Moose took the early lead with a run in the top of the first inning. Jaidyn Burciaga and Tony Griego both walked to begin the game, and Carlos Garcia was hit by a pitch. Nelson Arambula singled home Burciaga for a 1-0 lead.

Alamosa scored four more runs in the second. A.J. Baker walked, stole second and took third on an error. Burciaga singled to plate Baker.

Griego drew another walk, and Jonah Pittman was safe on an error and Burciaga and Griego both scored. Garcia tripled home Pittman to increase the lead to 5-0.

The Falcons tied the score in their half of the second. Ryder Norton singled, and Dylan Gallardo doubled. Norton scored on a wild pitch to put Centauri on the board.

Kendrick Martin walked and Drake Gallardo was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Parker Buhr singled home Dylan Gallardo and Martin. Buhr was caught stealing, but Leland Chacon started another rally with a walk. Kamryn Garcia singled home Drake Gallardo and Chacon went to third. Garcia then got caught in a rundown between first and second, but Chacon scored before the tag was applied and the score stood at 5-5.

The Falcons scored four more runs in the third. Jace Haslett led off with a single, and Norton also singled. Dylan Gallardo singled to bring home Haslett, and Drake Gallardo singled to plate Norton.

Dylan Gallardo scored as Centauri successfully executed the double steal. Chacon then singled to score Drake Gallardo and the Falcons led 9-5.

The Mean Moose scored once in the fourth. Evan Anderson led off with a single. Griego walked and Pittman was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Anderson came home on a wild pitch.

Alamosa regained the lead with a four-run sixth. Burciaga walked, Griego was hit by a pitch and Pittman also walked to load the bases withy nobody out. Garcia then singled home Burciaga and Greigo to close the deficit to 9-8.

Garcia was forced out on Brennen Maez’s ground ball, and Arambula singled to bring home Pittman and Maez for a 10-9 Alamosa lead.

The Falcons regained the lead with two runs in their half of the sixth. Buhr led off with a single sand Chacon and Garcia both walked. Buhr came home on Haslett’s sacrifice fly, and Chacon scored the winning run on Norton’s single.

Griego started on the mound for Alamosa but did not figure in the decision. He allowed nine runs and 10 hits and he struck out two, walked two, and hit one batter. Pittman finished the game and took the loss. He gave up two runs and two hits and he had two strikeouts and two walks.

Dylan Gallardo was Centauri’s starting pitch and he too did not figure in the decision. He gave up six runs and five hits with four strikeouts, five walks and three hit batters. Haslett relieved Dylan Gallardo in the sixth and he was the winning pitcher. He allowed four runs and two hits and he struck out none, walked three and hit one batter. Drake Gallardo finished the game and earned the save. He surrendered no runs and no hits and he struck out one and walked none.

Alamosa had seven hits and was led by Garcia who went 2-2 with a triple and two RBIs, and Arambula who went 3-4 with two RBIs.

Centauri collected 12 hits and was led by Chacon who went 2-2 with one RBI, Norton who went 3-4 with one RBI, Buhr who went 2-4 with two RBI, and Dylan Gallardo who went 2-4 with a double and one RBI.

Game 2

Alamosa got off to a fast start with four runs in the first. Burciaga reached on an error, and Griego walked. Pittman singled home Burciaga, and Maez singled to plate Griego. Arambula’s single brought home Pittman and Maez.

The Mean Moose scored another run in the second. Xavier Lujan led off by getting hit by a pitch, and Burciaga was safe on an error. Pittman singled to drive home Lujan.

The Falcons scored once in their half of the second. Haslett led off with a double, and Warren Shelton walked. Martin singled home Haslett.

Alamosa scored once in the third. Maez singled and stole second and came home on Baker’s double.

The Mean Moose scored four more runs in the fifth. Griego led off with a walk, and Pittman was hit by a pitch. Arambula walked to load the bases, and Baker singled home Griego and Pittman. Lujan’s single brought home Arambula and Baker.

The Falcons scored twice in the bottom of the fifth. Chacon reached on an error, and Garcia got an infield single. Haslett doubled home both runners to cut the deficit to 10-3.

Alamosa put the game away with 11 runs in the sixth. Griego led off with an infield single, and Pittman also singled. Garcia singled home Griego, and Maez’s single plated Pittman and Garcia.

Arambula also singled, and Baker was safe on an error. Lujan singled to plate Maez, and another error allowed Arambula to score. Lujan singled home Baker, and Anderson’s triple scored Lujan.

Burciaga was hit by a pitch, and Pittman doubled to score Anderson and Burciaga. Garcia was hit by a pitch, and Maez singled home Pittman, and Garcia scored on Arambula’s groundout.

The game ended after six innings on the 10-run rule.

Anderson was Alamosa’s starting pitcher and he picked up the win. He allowed three runs and seven hits with three strikeouts and two walks. Lujan finished the game and retired all three batters he faced including one strikeout.

Drake Gallardo started on the mound for Centauri and he took the loss. He allowed nine runs and six hits and he struck out three, walked four and hit two batters. Grayson Hunzeker went to the mound in the fifth and gave up five runs and six hits with no strikeouts and no walks. Martin relieved Hunzeker in the sixth and surrendered five runs and two hits with no strikeouts, no walks and one hit batter. Mason Moore finished the game and allowed two runs and two hits and he struck out one, walked one and hit one.

The Mean Moose had 16 hits and were led by Pittman who went 4-4 with a double and two RBI, Maez who went 4-5 with four RBIs, Arambula who went 2-4 with three RBI, Baker who went 2-4 with a double and three RBI, and Lujan who went 2-4 with three RBI.

The Falcons scattered seven hits and were led by Haslett who went 2-3 with three RBI.

What’s next

Alamosa (10-10, 3-3) will close out the regular season on Tuesday as it will travel to Bayfield for a doubleheader. The first game begins at 2 p.m. The home game against Florence has been canceled.

“Those are two huge games,” Kechter said. “I believe if we sweep them, then we’ll take second in our league. That will be big for us.”

Centauri (7-12, 3-3) will host a doubleheader with Montezuma-Cortez on Thursday. The first game begins at 3 p.m.

Centauri 11, Alamosa 10

Alamosa 140   104   0 – 10    7   1

Centauri 054   002   x – 11  12   4

Griego, Pittman (3, L) and Garcia. Dy. Gallardo, Haslett (6), Dr. Gallardo (7, S) and Chacon.

Alamosa 21, Centauri 3

Alamosa 411   04(11) – 21  16   1

Centauri 010   020 – 3   7   7

Anderson (W), Lujan (6) and David. Dr. Gallardo (L), Hunzeker (5), Norton (6), Moore (6).