By Marty Mayfield

KRTN Multi-Media

The Raton Tigers hosted their home opener and first district 2AAA game of the season Tuesday, March 26, at Gabriele Field against the Santa Fe Indian School Braves.

The Braves started the scoring quickly in the first inning with four straight base hits and then with bases loaded, Raton’s Matthew Quartieri got pitcher Dylan Quartieri out of a jam with an unassisted inning-ending double play. The Braves would go on to score a run in each of the next two innings before Raton could find the scoreboard in the fourth. Dylan Quartieri lead off and reached on an error. Then with two out, Raton’s DH Robert Horner hit a hard gapper into left center that reached the wall, it scored Quartieri and then Horner scored on a throwing error wo Raton’s crooked number on the scoreboard got Raton to within one, 3-2.

The Braves however answered with two runs of their own in the fifth picked up two more runs on two walks and a Raton error.

Raton countered with a run in the fifth after catcher Brandon Decker walked and came around on a Braves error. Raton tied the game in the sixth on back-to-back hits from Jaydon Romero and Matthew Quartieri. Quartieri pounded the ball into the gap in left-center, got the RBI and then was brought in on a sacrifice by Raton’s Isaih Samora, tying the game at five.

But the Braves had their biggest offensive output in the seventh, getting two hits sandwiched around two walks and some passed balls to push four across.

Raton did get a couple of runners aboard in the seventh due to hit batters, but pitcher Kye Aguilar, then found his control and struck out three in the inning to preserve the win.

Next up for Raton is an appearance at the Portales Tournament March 29-30.

Santa Fe Indian Varsity at Raton Varsity

Box Score

SANTA FE INDIAN VARSITY (9) AT RATON VARSITY (5)

SANTA FE INDIAN VARS AB  R  H BI  RATON VARSITY        AB  R  H BI
Jaden Aguino          5  1  2  1  Dante Romero          3  0  0  0  
Guadalupe Calabaza    2  1  1  0  Dylan Quartieri       3  1  1  0  
Kye Aguilar           4  1  2  0  Jaydon Romero         4  1  1  0  
James Bridges         4  2  2  0  Matthew Quartieri     3  1  1  1  
Kavin Calabaza        3  0  1  1  Robert Horner         2  1  1  1  
Jason Abeyta          3  1  0  0  Isiah Samora          3  0  1  1  
Cameron Ortiz         3  1  0  0  Brandon Decker        2  1  0  0  
Anders Pecos          4  2  2  0  Jasper Hunicutt       3  0  1  0  
Francisco Pino        4  0  1  0  Richie Acevedo        2  0  0  1  
TOTALS               32  9 11  2  TOTALS               25  5  6  4

SANTA FE INDIAN VARSITY       111 020 40 -- 9  
RATON VARSITY                 000 212 0x -- 5  

LOB--SANTA FE INDIAN VARSITY 7, RATON VARSITY 4. ERR--Jason
Abeyta, Francisco Pino, Richie Acevedo (2), Matthew
Quartieri. 2B--Jaden Aguino, Matthew Quartieri, Isiah
Samora. 3B--Kye Aguilar, Robert Horner. HBP--Richie Acevedo,
Dylan Quartieri. SB--Anders Pecos, Cameron Ortiz, James
Bridges, Richie Acevedo, Dante Romero.

 SANTA FE INDIAN VARSITY         IP    H    R   ER   BB   SO   HR
Jaden Aguino                   4.00    4    2    2    1    7    0
James Bridges                  1.33    2    3    3    1    1    0
Kye Aguilar (W)                1.67    0    0    0    1    4    0
 RATON VARSITY              
Dylan Quartieri                3.00    7    3    2    0    2    0
Jaydon Romero                  3.00    1    2    2    3    3    0
Dante Romero (L)               1.00    3    4    3    2    1    0

PB--Brandon Decker (3). WP--Dante Romero, Jaydon Romero.
BALK--James Bridges, Dylan Quartieri, Dante Romero (2).
SO--Jaden Aguino, Jason Abeyta, Francisco Pino (2), Kavin
Calabaza (2), Matthew Quartieri (2), Isiah Samora, Dante
Romero (2), Robert Horner, Jaydon Romero (3), Jasper
Hunicutt, Brandon Decker (2). BB--Guadalupe Calabaza (2),
Jason Abeyta, Cameron Ortiz, Kavin Calabaza, Dante Romero,
Robert Horner, Brandon Decker.