Bruins edge Red Mesa in baseball opener <br>

POLACCA — Delvin Huma walloped a triple to tie the game and scored the winning run on a passed ball as Hopi beat Red Mesa, 8-7, March 18 at Hopi High.

It was the season opener for the Bruins.

Hopi High Assistant Coach John Lomavaya said the Bruins didn’t play as well as they could have.

“We need more work on our hitting and our fielding. Our fielding needs more situational coverage when runners are on base. Our hitting was just too timid, but that’s expected for our first game,” he said.

Coach Lomavaya said the Hopi hitters were looking at too many pitches and just weren’t aggressive enough.

“We also weren’t patient enough,” he said.

Coach Lomavaya said Torres did a good job on the mound, but got tired too quickly and struggled with one of his pitches. He said Pete pitched well, but had to come out after two innings because of a high pitch count.

He said Schjang pitched three solid innings.

“I was happy with our pitching and Delvin Huma did a good job catching,” he said.

Coach Lomavaya said the Bruins played well for their first game of the season.

“As long as they continue to want to do better then we’ll do real well this year,” he said.

Play-by-play

Michael Schjang was the winning pitcher in relief for Hopi. B. Nakai was tagged with the loss despite striking out 16.

Red Mesa jumped out to a 1-0 edge in the top of the first. Hopi scored a pair in the home first. Schjang singled and Lionel Nevayaktewa was hit by a pitch.

They both scored on an error by the centerfielder.

Red Mesa tied it at 2-2 with a run in the top of the second. Hopi took the lead with a pair of runs in the home third. Nevayaktewa reached on an error by the catcher and Tyler Pete singled. They both scored on an error by the centerfielder as the Bruins led 4-2.

Red Mesa grabbed the lead with three runs in the fourth and two in the fifth for a 7-4 edge.

Schjang started the winning rally with a walk.

Nevayaktewa reached on an error by the catcher. Tyler Pete reached on an error by the rightfielder and both runs scored on the play. Delvin Huma smacked a triple to tie the game and he scored the winning run on a passed ball.

Hopi had five hits and made six errors. Red Mesa banged out seven hits, but made six errors.

Virgil Torres pitched the first two innings for Hopi as he struck out one and didn’t walk anybody. Pete pitched the next two innings as he struck out three and walked one. Schjang pitched the final three innings as he whiffed four and didn’t walk anybody.

B. Nakai pitched a complete game for Red Mesa as he struck out 16, but walked six.

(Stan Bindell, former Observer editor, is journalism and radio teacher at Hopi High School.)

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