Loboes Sweep Bi-District Against Fabens
     By Jessica Ray, Staff Writer ~~ The Monahans News, May 5, 2008

The Loboes kept their playoff run alive with a two-game win over the Fabens Wildcats this weekend.  Both games were played in Van Horn.

On Friday night, Steven Valles pitched a 12-2 victory in game one.  The team came again on Saturday to take game two 14-5.

Fabens had several fielding errors in game two.  The first was when the Fabens shortstop dropped the ball on an Aaron Armendariz hit turned single.  Quincy Titus singled again with a grounder.  Blake Hughes' hit was dropped, again at shortstop, to allow the first run-in by Armendariz.

Hughes took the pitcher's mound in the bottom of the first.  The Wildcats loaded the bases with two walks and a hit.  With two outs, Hughes took three pitches to get out of the bases loaded danger and end the inning with a strikeout and no score for Fabens.

Designated Hitter Ricky Robledo doubled in the top of the second.  It was the first of several doubles for Robledo.

Flores took a chance at a bunt to bring Robledo, and an error at first base let Flores advance to second.

Flores came home on an Armendariz hit to put Monahans ahead 3-0.

Andrew Perez hit an RBI triple in the bottom of the second for the first Fabens run of the night.

In the third, Steven Valles hit to first, then Chase Williams doubled down the third baseline.  Valles scored a run off another Robledo double, and Williams took the fifth run on a sacrifice play by Ivan Rios.

Armendariz got on base with a single in the fourth.  An error at first base left the ball loose long enough for Armendariz to steal second and third base with Ty Horton at bat.

Horton doubled to bring in Armendariz for the sixth run, then Fabens took a timeout to change pitchers.

Quincy Titus hit an RBI single, then Hughes took a free ticket to first base on balls.  Valles then brought in Titus for an 8-1 score with no outs.

Williams was the first Lobo out in the fourth when the baseball beat him to first base, but Hughes came home on the play.

Fabens took a second out from Monahans when an injured Valles was caught off base and sat out the reminder of the game.  Zeke Nunez took his place at shortstop for the most of the remaining game time.

In the next at-bat, Robledo doubled... again... then Rios and Julian Hernandez loaded the bases with a single and a walk.  Robledo stole home on a lost pitch while Hernandez was at bat, and the Loboes returned to the top of their lineup.

Armendariz was the last-at-bat in the inning for the Loboes, and he went out on a called strike.  With batters on the corners and two outs, Fabens was able to squeeze in a run with a hit into centerfield.

Monahans took another run in the fifth, when an error at first base let the Loboes score, making it 11-2.

Fabens' Enrique Nunez made his way to third base when Monahans could not get a good hold on the ball in centerfield.  He came home on the nest hit.  Hughes walked the next batter, who was called out on interference in the next play.

Armendariz was fielding a ball between first and second base when he collided with the runner.

Interference and an out was called on the runner, and Fabens fans were not happy.  "Why Can't We Be Friends," was the musical narration, but not everyone was amused.  Sportsmanship was on a trip with Chivalry somewhere.

Robledo stole home in the top of the sixth, then hit in two RBI's with another double in the seventh.

In the seventh, a tiring Hughes walked two batters and allowed two runs.  He was just one inning shy of the complete game when the Loboes brought in freshman Kyndrick Anderson to relieve.

Anderson threw two pitches when the Fabens batter hit to second base for out number two, and Monahans defense fired the ball to Armendariz at first to end the game in a double play.

Monahans is now the 2007-2008 bi-district champion, and will play Lubbock Cooper for the Area round of competition.  The best-of-three series will be played at Midland Lee's baseball field this weekend.  Game one starts on Friday at 5 p.m.

On Saturday, game two will begin at 1 p.m., and if a game three is necessary, it will begin 30 minutes later.

Keyed by Eliza Vidana Seniors of '08 rule!!!