ALAMOSA – The Alamosa High School baseball team played at home for the first time this season, but it hosted a tough draw as it faced Monte Vista, the top-ranked team in Class 2A Tuesday at the Ortega Middle School field.

The Pirates took off to a large lead after the fourth inning, however, the Mean Moose attempted a comeback in the seventh. However, the rally was not enough as the Monte Vista scored a 15-11 win.

“We just dug ourselves too deep of a hole early in the game,” sand Alamosa coach Tony Kechter. “We had the chance to get out of the fourth with no runs, and we made too many mistakes and ended up giving up seven unearned runs that inning.”

“We did a good job early in the game hitting,” said Monte Vista coach Luke Bradshaw. “We had a long two out rally in the fourth, so I’m proud of that effort. We then lost a little focus in the bottom of the seventh and let a good team hang around. If you give a good team some momentum and some energy, things can turn quickly. I’m not super proud of the way that we finished. But we got out of here with a win and that’s always good.”

The Pirates drew first blood with a run in the top of the first inning. Kobe Jiron led off with a single and then stole second. Chayse Bouet’s single put Kobe Jiron on third, and Kobe Jiron scored on Manny Jiron’s ground ball.

Monte Vista put two more runs on the board in the second. Landon Sanchez singled with one out and stole second. Michael Hensley reached on an error to put Sanchez on third, and Sanchez came home on a passed ball.

Kelby Mondragon singled home Hensley for a 3-0 Pirates lead.

The Mean Moose got on the board with a run in the bottom of the second. Brennan Maez had a leadoff double, and he came around to score on a wild pitch.

Monte Vista scored once in the third. Manny Jiron singled and went to second on a wild pitch. After Judah Howe walked, Many Jiron scored on Sanchez’s grounder.

The Mean Moose answered with two runs in the bottom of the third. Nelson Arambula reached on an error to lead off the inning, and Evan Anderson singled. Tony Griego doubled home Arambula, and Anderson scored on Jonah Pittman’s grounder.

The Monte Vista two-out rally in the fourth began with Kobe Jiron drawing a walk. Bouet was safe on an error, and Manny Jiron singled home Kobe Jiron. Howe doubled to bring home Bouet, and Jakoby Ross reached on an error and Manny Jiron and Howe both scored on the play. Ross then stole third and scored on a wild pitch.

Sanchez then singled, and Hensley slammed a two-run homer for an 11-3 Monte Vista lead.

Alamosa scored once in the bottom of the fourth. Arambula and Anderson both walked with two out, and Griego doubled to score Arambula.

The Pirates scored once in the top of the fifth. Mondragon was safe on an error and then stole second. He scored on Kobe Jiron’s single.

Monte Vista scored another run in the sixth. Sanchez led off with a single, and Hensley doubled. Connor Mellott singled home Sanchez for a 13-4 lead.

The Pirates scored two more runs in the seventh. Manny Jiron singled and Howe hit a two-run homer to increase the lead to 15-4.

The Alamosa seventh began with Pittman hitting a double. A.J. Baker drew a walk, and Maez singled home Pittman. Jaidyn Burciaga’s singled brought Baker home, and Foster Boyd’s pinch-hit dingle allowed Maez to score. An error on the play brought Burciaga home.

Clayton Treinen was then hit by a pitch, and Arambula walked. Griego singled to plate Boyd, and Pittman hit his second d double of the inning to bring home Treinen and Arambula.

However, that would be as close as the Mean Moose would get.

Anderson was the Mean Moose’s starting pitcher and he took the loss. He allowed 11 runs and nine hits and he struck out five and walked two. Camdyn Montoya finished the game and gave up four runs and eight hits with three strikeouts, no walks and one hit batter.

Kobe Jiron started on the mound for the Pirates and was the winning pitcher. He allowed four runs and four hits and he struck out three and walked three. Howe went to the mound in the fourth and gave up five runs and four hits with two strikeouts and two walks. Manny Jiron finished the game and surrendered two runs and two hits and he struck out two and walked one.

Alamosa had 10 hits and was led by Griego who went 3-4 with two doubles and three RBIs, Pittman who went 2-4 with two doubles and three RBIs, and Maez who went 2-5 with a double and one RBI.

Monte Vista had 17 hits and was led by Sanchez who went 4-5 with one RBI, Manny Jiron who went 3-5 with one RBI, Kobe Jiron who went 2-4 with one RBI, Howe who went 2-4 with a double, a home run and three RBIs, and Hensley who went 2-5 with a double, a home run and two RBIs.

Alamosa (7-6) will open Intermountain League play on Saturday as it will travel to Pagosa Springs.

“I’ve been kind of following them a little and looking at their schedule,” Kechter said. “They’ve played some good teams and played them tough. We can’t go in thinking it’s going to be easy. Every league game is going to be very important to us.”

Monte Vista (10-0) will travel to Center for its Southern Peaks League opener also on Saturday. Even though the Vikings are having a tough year, Bradshaw knows the Pirates can’t take them for granted.

“We can’t take anybody lightly,” Bradshaw said. “We know we’ll get everybody’s best game no matter who we’re playing. We have to be ready to go and we’re excited to start the second half of our season. We’re excited to get it going.”

Monte Vista 15, Alamosa 11

Monte Vista 121 711 2 – 15 17 3

Alamosa 012 100 7 – 11 10 5

K. Jiron (W), Howe (4), M. Jiron (7) and Bouet. Anderson (L), C. Montyoa (4) and Estrada, Pittman (5). HR – MV: Hensley (4^th inn., 1 on, 2 out), Howe (7^th inn., 1 on, no outs).