The Bulldog baseball team had a field day Thursday evening in its 2016 home opener at Brainard Park, scoring no less than six runs in each of their first three at-bats en route to a 21-1 run-rule of Santa Fe Capital.
The Jaguars got on the board early in the contest, taking one run out of the top of the first on a trio of singles. But it would prove to be their last.
The ‘Dogs took an 8-1 lead in the home half, led off by a Cody Fuentes double and a single by Grady Frost. A hit batsman, a walk, and a pair of errors helped keep the inning going, with Carlos Carrasco also doubling as Artesia batted around.
Starting pitcher Brooks Donaldson settled in to put Capital down in order in the second and allow only a leadoff walk in the third, while at the plate, the runs just kept flowing for the Bulldogs.
A trio of walks and three more Jaguar errors helped extend a six-run second, and Anthony Armendariz would double and Tristan Bowden single twice in a seven-run third.
CJ Imparato, on in relief of Donaldson, then shut the door on the Jags with six quick outs in the final two innings of the run-rule.
Bowden and Armendariz finished 2-2 at the plate, Fuentes 2-5, and Carrasco 1-1 for the Bulldogs. Donaldson picked up the win on the mound with three hits and three strikeouts in his three innings of work.
The ‘Dogs (3-2) will take on Moriarty at 7 p.m. today in the semifinals. The Pintos topped Lovington Thursday. Other Day One winners included Carlsbad over Belen and Mayfield over Roswell High.
