SANFORD – The Monte Vista High School baseball team secured the Southern Peaks League title with a sweep of Sanford Saturday at the Mustangs’ field.

The scores were 15-0 and 15-6.

“We got a little sloppy in the second game and kind of lost focus,” said Monte Vista coach Luke Bradshaw. “But these guys came through and finished the game. We won the league championship, but we’re ready to move on to playoff baseball now. So it’s a whole new season going forward.”

“We competed in the second game,” said Sanford coach Ty Crowther. “Monte Vista’s a good team. I wish them good luck in the regionals and go from there.”

Game 1

After a scoreless first innings, the Pirates struck for four runs in the top of the second. Kaden Madrid walked, Judah Howe was hit by a pitch and Michael Hensley also walked to load the bases with nobody out. Azariah Hurtado also walked to drive home Madrid for the first run of the game.

Howe scored on Chayse Bouet’s sacrifice fly, and Kaden Mellott doubled to plate Hensley and Hurtado for a 4-0 lead.

Monte Vista scored seven more runs in the third. Howe led off with a walk and Hensley was hit by a pitch. Jakoby Ross singled home Howe, and Hensley scored on an error to increase the lead to 6-0.

Hurtado drew another walk, and both Ross and Hurtado stole the next base. Bouet had another sacrifice fly, this time scoring Ross.

Mellott singled home Hurtado, and Jeremiah Baumgardner doubled to score Mellott. Howe doubled to drive home Baumgardner and the Pirates led 11-0.

Monte Vista put four more runs on the board in the fifth. Baumgardner and Manny Jiron both singled, and both runners advanced on a balk. Howe singled to plate Baumgardner, and Hensley followed with a walk. Ross’ double brought home Manny Jiron and Howe, and after Hurtado walked, Hensley scored on Bouet’s infield single.

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

Mellott went the distance for the Pirates and he earned the win. He allowed no runs and three hits, and he had six strikeouts and no walks.

Lucas Miller started on the mound for the Mustangs and he took the loss. He gave up nine runs and two hits and he struck out two, walked seven and hit four batters. Jared McCarroll finished the game and surrendered six runs and seven hits with one strikeout and three walks.

The Pirates had nine hits and were led by Howe who went 2-2 with a double and two RBIs, Baumgardner who went 2-4 with a double and one RBI, Ross who went 2-4 with three RBIs, and Mellott who went 2-5 with a double and three RBIs.

The Mustangs scattered three hits and were led by Colton Reynolds who went 2-2.

Game 2

The Pirates again took the early lead, this time with three runs in the first. Hurtado led off with a single and Bouet followed with a walk. Hurtado scored on a passed ball for a 1-0 lead.

Manny Jiron walked, and Madrid singled to bring home Bouet and Manny Jiron for a 3-0 lead.

Monte Vista put three more runs on the board in the second. Landon Sanchez led off with an infield single and he went to second on an error. Ross singled to plate Sanchez, and Hurtado doubled. Both Ross and Hurtado scored on a passed ball to increase the lead to 6-0.

The Pirates scored once in the third. Manny Jiron and Madrid both walked, and Howe’s single plated Jiron.

Monte Vista scored two more runs in the fourth. Mellott singled, and Baumgardner reached on an error. Manny Jiron singled to score Mellott, but Baumgardner was out at third. Madrid singled home Jiron for a 9-0 lead.

The Mustangs got back into the game with six runs in their half of the fourth. Trason Gartrell led off with an infield single and he went to third on J.D. Faucette’s single. Faucette, however, was out trying to stretch the hit into a double. Tyson Miller singled home Gartrell and Tyson Miller advanced on an error. Colton Reynolds singled home Tyson Miller, and Roman Edgar singled to bring home Reynolds.

Joshua Fairhurst got an infield single, and McCarroll also singled to load the base. Rylan Mortensen singled to plate Edgar, and Gartrell’s single brought home Fairhurst and McCarroll.

The Pirates scored a pair of runs in the fifth. Bohdi Self singled and stole second base. Bouet was hit by a pitch, and Mellott singled to score Self. Bouet came home on a wild pitch to an 11-6 lead.

Monte Vista scored one run in the sixth. Howe was safe on an error and took second on a wild pitch. He scored on Ross’s single.

The Pirates wrapped up the scoring with a three-run seventh. Mellott led off with a walk. Madrid also walked and Howe was hit by a pitch to load the bases, and Mellott scored on a wild pitch. Sanchez singled to drive home Connor Mellott, who was courtesy running for Madrid, and Ross’ single plated Howe.

Kobe Jiron was Monte Vista’s starting pitcher and he gained the win. He allowed no runs and one hit with four strikeouts and one walk. Baumgardner went to the mound in the third and he surrendered six runs and seven hits and he struck out three and walked none. Sanchez finished the game and gave up no runs and two hits and he struck out five, walked two and hit one batter.

Gartrell started as Sanford’s pitcher and he took the loss. He gave up 11 runs and 11 hits and struck out one, walked seven and hit one batter. Faucette finished the game and allowed four runs and three hits and he had two strikeouts, four walks and one hit batter.

The Pirates collected 14 hits and were led by Ross who went 3-3 with three RBIs, Madrid who went 2-3 with three RBIs, Mellott who went 2-4 with one RBI, Hurtado who went 2-5 with a double, and Sanchez who went 2-5 with one RBI.

The Mustangs had 10 hits and were led by Gartrell who went 2-4 with two RBIs.

What’s next

Monte Vista (14-6, 6-0) will now wait to find out its destination for the regional tournament. It will very likely go on the road.

“The regional round is always tough,” Bradshaw said. “You’re going to see a good arm that first game. So it doesn’t matter if you’re going on the road or who you’re playing. We have to be ready to play our best baseball this time of year.”

Sanford finishes the season with seven wins and 10 losses and it was 6-2 in league play.

“We have a young team,” Crowther said. “We had no seniors, so it’s the same bunch coming back. We’ll get dedicated and have a good off-season and comeback ready to go next season.”

Monte Vista 15, Sanford 0

Monte Vista 047   04 – 15   9    0

Sanford 000   00 –   0   3    4

Mellott (W) and Madrid. L. Miller (L), McCarroll (3) and Gartrell.

Monte Vista 15, Sanford 6

Monte Vista 331   221   3 – 15  14   2

Sanford 000   600   0 –   6  10   5

K. Jiron (W), Baumgardner (3), Sanchez (4) and Madrid. Gartrell (L), Faucette (6) and Edgar.