By Eric Maddy
The SCORE

If one believes in omens, oh man it's going to be a long season for the Rio Rancho High baseball team.

Santa Fe xxxxxxxxx hit a home run on the first pitch of the season, and the visiting Demons rallied for a 9-8 victory over Rio Rancho on Tuesday.

The score actually was 15-9, as Santa Fe scored six runs in the top of the seventh inning. Umpires called the game due to darkness before the Rams could bat in the home half of the seventh, meaning the official score reverts back to a one-run contest.

xxxxxx, who went 4-for-5, knocked in Santa Fe's ninth run of the game with his second double in the top of the sixth as the Demons overcame an 8-3 deficit after three innings.

After Santa Fe gained the early lead on xxxx's homer, Rio Rancho used the long ball to regain the lead -- twice. A three-run shot by xxxxxxx gave the Rams after two innings and after Santa Fe tied the game in the top of the third, the Rams responded again with homers by xxxxx and xxxxx to build a five-run advantage.

After that, the Demons chipped away at the lead while Rio Rancho bats went cold. Rio Rancho pulled starting pitcher xxxxxxxxxxxx after xx pitches and four innings, and Rams relievers couldn't hold the lead.

The Rams will play three games in three days at the Clovis Invitational, starting with a 9:30 a.m. contest with El Paso Bowie. St. Pius, which beat the Rams in a preseason scrimmage, and El Paso Del Valle are in the same part of the eight-team bracket with the Rams and Bears.

The bottom half of the bracket matches Santa Fe against xxxxxx and El Paso Bel Air against the host team. Rio Rancho's next home game is xxxx against xxxxxx.







Elsewhere, Cleveland High made a successful debut by winning at Belen 18-6 in five innings. The Storm surrendered only two earned runs and starting pitcher Nathan Lucero also went 5-for-5 at the plate to pace CHS's 20-hit attack. Ted Bency also went 4-for-5 for Cleveland, which plays again Monday at 4 p.m. at West Mesa.