By Greg Perkins Holbrook’s baseball team is finding some success under head coach Kendall Bakurza and his staff. A program that is coming off two years of struggles has now picked up their third win of the season and sits with an overall mark of 3-5 heading into this week’s games. Last week they played a top-five Snowflake team tough on two occasions before losing to the Lobos twice. They followed that up with an impressive 10-4 win over Show Low on Friday. Playing in Snowflake on Tuesday, Holbrook took the early lead with a single run in the top of the first. Snowflake countered with two in the first, then added three more in the third, another in the fifth and two in the sixth to win the game 8-1. Holbrook had three hits in the game with Daniel Montijo, Isreal Ramos and John O’Brien each hitting singles. Holbrook used three pitchers in the game with Destin Bauer, Isreal Ramos and John O’Brien each getting two innings of work. Collectively they gave up eight runs on five hits with six walks and had 11 strikeouts. Hosting Snowflake on Wednesday, if not for one big inning the Roadrunners may have won the game. Snowflake scored twice in the second, then pushed across nine runs in the third inning to lead 11-0 and seemingly have control of the game. Holbrook answered with one run in the third, another in the fourth, then made the game interesting with five runs in the bottom of the fifth, closing the gap to 11-7. Both teams scored once in the sixth before a scoreless seventh led to a 12-8 Lobo win. This time Holbrook collected 10 hits led by Ramos, Jesse Knight and O’Brien with two hits apiece. Knight had a triple, Ramos doubled, and Zachary Pete also doubled with his only hit. Carson Hatch, Montijo and Marcus Oberriter each had hits in the game. Holbrook utilized five pitchers in the game including Hatch, O’Brien, Isaac Martinez and Oberriter collectively allowed 12 runs on 11 hits, with nine walks and five strikeouts. Hosting Show Low in an east region match-up on Friday afternoon, the Roadrunners took care of business. Both teams scored once in the second, then Holbrook edged ahead with another run in the third. The Cougars moved back in front with three in the fourth to lead 4-2. That lead held until the fifth inning when Holbrook retook the advantage for good. Four runs in the fifth, then another four runs in the sixth sparked by Oberriter’s home run gave the Roadrunners their first win over Show Low in two years with a 10-4 final score. Holbrook had 12 hits led by Oberriter who went 4 for 4, with the home run; Hatch was 2 for 3, with a pair of doubles; Montijo went 2 for 3 and also doubled; Knight was 2 for 2, with a double; and Ramos and Pete each went 1 for 2. O’Brien worked five innings, giving up four runs on five hits, with two walks and a pair of strikeouts. Ramos pitched two innings allowing one run on one hit, with a walk and three strikeouts. After facing the Cougars again in Show Low on Tuesday, Holbrook will travel to Alchesay on Friday, then will host Round Valley on Saturday. Next Tuesday they host the Falcons. Holbrook entered this week with a 3-5 overall record.
