Melrose, Grady, Texico earn state tourney berths
May 7—LOGAN — Melrose recovered from a heartbreaking loss in Game 1 to beat Logan 4-2 and gain a split of Friday's District 3-1A baseball doubleheader.
The Longhorns (16-4, 7-2 district), who rallied to win the opener 6-3 in eight innings, clinched the district title while the Buffaloes (11-6, 6-3) were second. On Sunday, Logan earned the top seed and one of two first-round byes in the Class 1A state tournament, while Melrose was given the third seed and hosts sixth-seeded Magdalena (8-7) in a 3 p.m. quarterfinal tilt today.
Another 3-1A squad, Grady (11-5, 4-5) was given the fifth seed and travels to No. 4 Mesilla Valley (13-4) in a 5 p.m. matchup today. Semifinals and finals are slated for May 16 at Jennifer Riordan Spark Kindness Sports Complex in Albuquerque, with the title tilt set for noon the following day at the University of New Mexico's Santa Ana Star Field in Albuquerque.
Senior Dathan Yeary pitched a six-hitter with nine strikeouts in Melrose's second-game win. Senior Gray Brandon went 2-for-3 with a double and a pair of RBIs while junior Josiah Roybal was 2-for-5 with a double and scored a pair of runs for the Buffs, who took a 3-1 lead with a three-run third.
Senior Kaeden Stoner led the Longhorns at the plate, going 2-for-3.
In the opener, Melrose scored three runs in the top of the second and carried that into the bottom of the seventh, only to see Logan force extra innings with three runs and then win it on a three-run homer by sophomore Mason Wallin in the eighth.
Stoner went 2-for-3 with a double and two runs scored, and also pitched a complete-game seven-hitter with one walk and 12 strikeouts. Senior Michael Cardonita went 1-for-4 with a double and an RBI for Melrose, and also went the distance on the mound with one walk and 13 whiffs.
Wallin finished 3-for-4 and scored twice for Logan while junior Diego Sanchez was 1-for-3 with a two-run single in the seventh.
In other Friday area baseball:
Dora 18, Floyd 8 — In District 2-1A at Dora, the Coyotes led just 10-8 before posting an eight-run fifth to end the game on the 10-run rule.
The Broncos (0-11, 0-9) jumped on top 4-0 in the top of the first, but a five-run second put the Coyotes (3-8, 3-6) ahead for good. Dora outhit Floyd for the game 20-9.
Top hitters for the Coyotes were junior Roddy Neal with 4-for-4, two doubles, two RBIs and two runs; junior Garrett Tipton with 3-for-4, two doubles, an RBI and three runs; senior Caden Smith with 3-for-4, three RBIs and a run scored, and freshman Timmy Neal with 3-for-4, four RBIs and two runs.
In a season-ending District 4-1/2A softball game on Monday at Dora, the Lady Coyotes (5-13, 0-12) dropped a 14-4 decision to Jal (12-13, 5-7).
