CENTER – An unbelievable amount of runs were scored on Saturday as the Center High School baseball team hosted a doubleheader against Sanford at Lloyd M. Garcia Field.

After the dust had settled a grand total of 74 runs were scored in the two games combined. All together, Sanford scored 52 runs and the Vikings 22.

The Mustangs won both games by scores of 18-3 and 34-19.

First game

After a scoreless first inning, the Mustangs struck for 11 runs in the top of the second. Roman Edgar started the rally with a single. He went to second on a wild pitch and took third as Rylan Mortensen reached on an error. Edgar scored on another wild pitch, as did Mortensen.

Colton Reynolds drew a walk and Trason Gartrell singled him to third. Reynolds came home on a passed ball for a 3-0 lead.

Lucas Miller then doubled to plate Gartrell. J.D. Faucette was hit by a pitch and Tyson Miller also singled to drive home Jared McCarroll, who was courtesy running for Lucas Miller, and another error allowed J.D. Faucette to score.

Ben Faucette singled to bring home Tyson Miller, and Edgar singled home Ben Faucette. Joshua Fairhurst then struck out, but the third strike was dropped, and Fairhurst was safe on another error.

Mortensen tripled to score Edgar and Fairhurst. Reynolds was safe on another error and Mortensen scored to give Sanford an 11-0 lead.

The Mustangs scored seven more runs in the third. Lucas Miller led off the inning with a solo home run. J.D. Faucette followed with a single and stole second and third. He scored on a balk for a 13-0 lead.

Tyson Miller received a base on balls and Edgar singled. Fairhurst singled home Tyson Miller, and Mortensen was hit by a pitch. Reynolds singled home Edgar and Fairhurst, and Mortensen came home on a passed ball.

Lucas Miller singled to plate Reynolds for an 18-0 advantage.

The Vikings averted the shutout with a run in the bottom of the third. Nicholas Palma was safe on a fielder’s choice and took second on an error. Jaiden Martinez singled to score Palma.

Center scored twice in the fourth. Ivan Guaderrama led off with a single and Caden Ruggles walked. Miguel Sotelo was hit by a pitch to load the bases, and Angel Baca was also plunked to drive home Guaderrama. Ruggles scored on Rico Garcia’s groundout.

The Vikings could not score any more runs and the game ended on the 15-run rule.

Lucas Miller went the distance and was the winning pitcher. He allowed three runs and two hits and he struck out four, walked two and hit four batters.

Palma was Center’s starting pitcher and he took the loss. He gave up 11 runs and eight hits while striking out four, walking three and hitting two. Guaderrama finished the game and surrendered seven runs and six hits. He had no strikeouts, two walks and one hit batter.

The Mustangs had 14 hits and were led by Lucas Miller who went 3-3 with two doubles, a home run and three RBIs. Edgar went 3-4 with one RBI, and Gartrell went 2-4.

For the Vikings, Guaderrama went 1-1 and Martinez went 1-2 with one RBI.

Second game

Sanford wasted little time getting on the board in the night cap as it scored seven times in the top of the first. There were six hits in the inning with J.D. Faucette, Kendall Christensen, Egar and Mortensen each with a double. Gartrell, Lucas Miller, J.D. Faucette, Christensen, Edgar and Mortensen each had an RBI in the inning.

Center tied the score in its half of the first. The Vikings had five hits with Ruggles slamming a two-run double. Damian Casanova and Guaderrama also had two RBIs in the inning, and Jose Cendejas had one.

Sanford answered with eight runs in the second. There were three hits and there were also two walks and two hit batters. J.D. Faucette, Christensen, Edgar, Mortensen and Gartrell each had an RBI.

Center scored seven runs in the bottom of the second. The Vikings had three hits, and there were also two walks, two hit batters and three errors. Ruggles had another two-run double in the inning, and Guaderrama also had two RBIs. Martinez and Cendejas has one.

Sanford had a 15-14 lead at the end of the second.

The Mustangs scored three runs on two hits in the top of the third. Mortensen had two RBIs in the inning and Christensen had one.

The Vikings went down in order in their half of the inning.

Sanford scored eight more runs in the fourth on four hits. There was also one walk, and three runners reached on errors. J.D. Faucette had two RBIs, and McCarroll and Gartrell each had one.

Center scored three times in the bottom of the fourth. Palma had the only hit of the inning and there were three walks and one hit batter. Cristian Bidachi, Cendejas and Alejandro Puentes each had an RBI.

Sanford’s lead stood at 26-17 at the end of the fourth.

The Mustangs scored eight more runs in the top of the fifth. THrere were three hits, and there were also two walks, one hit batter, and three runners were safe on errors. Roman had three RBIs, and Gartrell, Lucas Miller, and Tyson Miller each had one.

The Vikings scored twice in the bottom of the fifth. There was only one hit, and two batters were hit. Palma and Ruggles each had an RBI.

The game ended on the 10-run rule.

McCarroll started for Sanford on the mound. He allowed 14 runs and eight hits and he struck out three, walked three and hit three. Mortensen relieved McCarroll in the third and gave up three runs and one hit. He had four strikeouts and four walks and was the winning pitcher. Reynolds finished the game and surrendered two runs and one hit with two strikeouts and two hit batters.

Jaden Estrada was Center’s starting pitcher and he was tagged with the loss. He allowed 18 runs and 11 hits and he struck out three, walked four and hit two batters. Francisco Cazares went to the mount in the fourth and gave up eight runs and four hits with one strikeout and one walk. Sotelo pitched the final inning and surrendered eight runs and three hits. He struck out two, walked two and hit one batter.

The Mustangs had 18 hits and were led by Mortensen who went 3-7 with a double and two RBIs, Reynolds who went 3-6, Gartrell who went 3-6 with four RBIs, J.D. Faucette who went 3-5 with three RBIs, Christensen who went 3-5 with a double and three RBIs, and Edgar who went 3-5 with a double and five RBIs.

The Vikings scattered 10 hits and were led by Guaderrama who went 2-4 with four RBIs, Palma who went 2-3 with one RBI, and Ruggles who went 3-4 with a double and four RBIs.

What’s next

Sanford (2-1, 2-0) hosted a doubleheader with Centauri on Tuesday. It will play at Trinidad on Saturday in another twin bill. The first game starts at 11 a.m.

Center (1-5, 0-2) traveled to La Veta for a doubleheader on Tuesday. It will host Rocky Ford on April 8 for a single game at 4 p.m.

Sanford 18, Center 3

Sanford 0(11)7   0 – 18  14   2

Center 001   2 – 3   2   3

L. Miller (W) and Edgar. Palma (L), Guarderrama (3) and Ruggles, Palma (3). HR – S: L. Miller (3rd inn., none on, no outs).

Sanford 34, Center 19

Sanford 783   88 – 34  18   6

Center 770   32 – 19  10   9

McCarroll, Mortensen (3, W), Reynolds (5) and Mortensen, McCarroll (3). Estrada (L), Cazares (4), Sotelo (5) and Palma.