LA JARA – The Centauri High School baseball team capped off a comeback with two runs in the bottom of the seventh to defeat Sanford, 8-7, Tuesday at the Falcons’ field.

The Mustangs began the scoring with a run in the top of the first. Tyson Miller led off the game by getting hit by a pitch, and he stole second. Two wild pitches allowed him to score.

Sanford scored three more runs in the third. Rylan Mortensen led off with a single and a wild pitch put him on second. He stole third, and an error brought him home.

Roman Edgar and J.D. Faucette both received a base on balls. Edgar stole second and an error put him on third. Edgar scored on Travis Canty’s groundout.

Fuacette went to third on an error, and he came home on Colton Reynolds’ groundout.

The Falcons got on the board with two runs in the bottom of the third. Dylan Gallardo opened the scoring with a solo home run, and Warren Shelton doubled. Shelton took third on a wild pitch, and he scored as Kingston Jaramillo was safe on an error.

Sanford extended the score to 5-2 in the fifth. Tyson Miller reached on an error, and Trason Gartrell singled. An error in the outfield allowed Tyson Miller to score.

Centauri tied the score in the bottom of the fifth. Shelton was hit by a pitch to begin the inn9ng, and Kingston Jaramillo singled. Drake Gallardo deadlocked the score with a three-run homer.

The Mustangs regained the lead with a run in the top of the sixth. Mortensen had a leadoff double, and Edgar followed with a single. Mortensen scored on Canty’s groundout.

Dylan Gallardo hit his second homer of the game in the bottom for the sixth to tie the score at 6-6.

The Mustangs got the lead back in the seventh as Gartrell hit a solo home run.

The Falcons’ rally in the seventh began with Ryder Norton getting a leadoff walk, Grayson Hunzeker was hit by a pitch, and Leland Chacon singled home Norton. Erik Garcia’s single brought home Hunzeker with the winning run.

Dylan Gallardo started on the mound for Centauri and he did not figure in the decision. He allowed four runs and two hits and he struck out two, walked four and hit one batter. Hunzeker relieved Gallardo in the third and he gave up two runs and four hits with five strikeouts, and no walks. Drake Gallardo finished the game and got the win. He surrendered one run and one hit and he struck out two and walked none.

Gartrell was Sanford’s starting pitcher and he too did not figure in the decision. He gave up five runs and and four hits and he had seven strikeouts, three walks, and four hit batters. Lucas Miller completed the game and took the loss. He allowed three runs and three hits while striking out three, walking three and hitting one batter.

The Falcons had seven hits and were led by Dylan Gallardo who went 2-4 with two home runs and two RBIs. Drake Gallardo led in RBIs with three.

The Mustangs scattered seven hits with Gartrell going 2-3 with a home run and one RBI, Mortensen going 2-3 including a double, and Edgar went 2-2. Canty was the RBI leader with two.

Centauri (6-1) will host Intermountain League play on April 11 as it hosts Bayfield. The first game begins at 11 a.m.

Sanford (4-3) was scheduled to host Trinidad today, however, the game has been postponed and will be rescheduled. It will next play at Pagosa Springs on Tuesday with the first game to begin at 3 p.m.

Centauri 8, Sanford 7

Sanford 130  011  1 – 7  7  1

Centauri 002  031  1 – 8  7  5

Gartrell, L. Miller (5, L) and Edgar. Dy. Gallardo, Hunzeker (3), Dr. Gallardo (7) and Chacon. HR – S: Gartrell (7^th inn., none on, 2 out); C – Dy. Gallardo 2 (3^rd inn., none on, 1 out, 6^th inn., none on, no outs), Dr. Gallardo (5^th inn., 2 on, no outs).