The Dove Creek High School baseball team, playing at the Ignacio Tournament on March 16-17, had no difficulty scoring runs and walked away with one win in three games.

The Bulldogs opened the tournament against Ignacio on March 16, and, after taking a 2-0 lead in the first inning and tying the game 9-9 in the top of the sixth, lost 13-9 to the tournament hosts.

Leading the way for Dove Creek at the plate was junior Ryan Delano-Martinez, who had two hits and three RBIs in four plate appearances. Sophomore Ty Smith, junior Kieron Huskey, freshman Branson Smith and junior JD Dennison drove in runs for the Bulldogs.

Freshman Hayden Gray started on the mound for Dove Creek and allowed five earned runs over five innings and struck out eight batters. Freshman Branson Smith relieved him and surrendered one earned run in the inning he pitched.

“We were ahead of Ignacio almost the whole game, and then they came back and tied it up,” Bulldogs manager Curtis Garver said. “We ended up making a few costly errors at the end, and that’s where they got their runs.”

Dove Creek’s second game came against Sargent on March 16, and the Bulldogs lost, 8-2. Sargent led 4-1 at the end of the first inning, and added two runs in the third, and two in the fifth to secure its win.

Ty Smith registered two hits, including a double, and Gray had a double and drove in one run. Branson Smith started on the mound for Dove Creek and allowed one earned run over three innings. Ty Smith then entered the game and did not allow an earned run over three innings of work.

The Bulldogs’ final game of the tournament came against Ignacio’s junior varsity team on March 17 and turned into 33-2 blowout after the Bulldogs offense exploded against their overmatched opponents.

Senior Derek Kibel drove in six runs for the Bulldogs, junior Tristen Jarmon drove home four, and freshman Gauge Thompson and Gray each had three. Derek Kibel started on the mound for the Bulldogs and picked up the win after allowing two earned runs in the three-inning game.

Now 3-2 on the season, Dove Creek will take a spring break before returning to action against Montezuma-Cortez High School’s junior varsity on March 28.

The Bulldogs will then hit the road to face Hotchkiss High School on March 31.