The Panthers’ hopes of another deep postseason run became more tangible as they secured a doubleheader sweep over Intermountain League rival Pagosa Springs at Parque de Vida field on Monday. They edged out the Pirates in a tight 7-6 win in the first game, then pulled away with a dominant 15-5 victory in the second.
Montezuma-Cortez (10-4 overall, 2-0 3A IML) had a well-rounded performance across both games, with several Panthers stepping up in pivotal moments.
In the opener, senior Samson Lein led the offense with a 2-3 outing and scored twice, while sophomore Michael Krupa and junior Jaris McDonald added two hits and a run apiece.
In Game 2, junior Parker Conrad ignited the offense with a 3-4 performance, scoring four runs and stealing two bases. Classmate Darren Daves also went 3-4, adding two RBIs, a double, and two stolen bases, while senior Bobby Likes drove in four runs with two hits.
Pagosa freshman Taylor Wells led the Pirates offensively, going for a combined 5-7 across both games along with two doubles and posting five runs, solidifying his role as a rising talent on the roster.
Senior Kyle Henderson had a breakout moment in the second game, smashing a home run while driving in two runs and going 1-1 with two walks. On the mound, classmate Cooper Ralston stood out with solid pitching in Game 1. Over four innings, he allowed three hits and no earned runs while striking out five.
Despite the individual highlights for Pagosa, defensive struggles proved costly for the Pirates. They committed 14 errors in the doubleheader, leading to multiple unearned runs and kept the team under pressure throughout both games.
In the opener, Pagosa and Montezuma-Cortez tied 3-3 after the third, but the Pirates managed to tack on two more runs by the end of the fifth to lead, 5-3. Although Pagosa collected 10 hits, their nine errors opened the door for the Panthers, who mounted a comeback in the seventh, scoring four runs and kept Pagosa scoring only once in the fifth. Panther senior Kolby Wirth reached base multiple times and crossed the plate during the late comeback. On the mound, Krupa shut the door in the final inning with two strikeouts to walk off with the 7-6 win.
Game two saw Montezuma-Cortez take control of the outset. The Panthers scored four runs in the first, then broke the game wide open with an eight-run fourth. They tallied 15 runs on 10 hits, taking full advantage of five Pirate errors to wrap up the contest in five innings.
Daves added pressure on the basepaths with three stolen bases, with senior Seth Oakes earned the win on the mound, striking out five over four steady innings. Defensively, Montezuma-Cortez stayed sharp, committing two errors across both games to back up their pitchers with support.
While Pagosa managed five runs on six hits, including Henderson’s homer, Montezuma-Cortez’s early offensive surge and concise defense secured the win.
The Panthers, who came just one win short of reaching the 3A-2A championship game last season, continue their season with a key doubleheader at top-seeded Alamosa on April 26. They will travel to face Del Norte on April 29 before returning home to host Northfork on May 3. League play picks back up on May 8 at Centauri, with the regular season wrapping up at home against Bayfield on May 10. Regional play is set to begin on May 17.
