Horsemen, Huskies Split Doubleheader

SANTA FE — The no-hitter streak was the first to fall. The streak of shutout innings was next.

But Colin Friedman’s winning streak remains intact. And one out of three, as anyone in baseball will tell you, is pretty tidy.

The St. Michael’s senior right-hander was chasing his fourth consecutive no-hitter Saturday in the first game of a District 5-3A doubleheader against No. 1 Hope Christian. Friedman settled for a complete-game six-hitter as the second-ranked Horsemen beat the Huskies 7-5 in the opener.

“I guess the press can stop talking about it. I guess everyone can stop talking about it,” Friedman (4-1) said.

Hope Christian rebounded with a 6-3 victory in Game 2.

In each of Friedman’s last three starts — March 16 against Raton, March 20 against Bloomfield, March 27 against Pojoaque — he was unhittable and nearly perfect.

The trifecta of no-nos, which included a run of 18 scoreless innings, begat a flurry of media attention and also a substantial dose of celebrity.

“I don’t know if it was a distraction,” Friedman said. “It’s such a thing of luck to have those no-hitters.”

No one could realistically have forecast another no-hitter Saturday, not with 3A’s top-ranked team in town.

And the suspense was over quickly. John Jensen, who had three of the Huskies’ six hits, lined a single to right with one out in the top of the first.

Later, Jensen tripled to center to score Ian Sutton with the game’s first run in the third. Hope made it 2-0 on a St. Mike’s fielding error.

Friedman’s counterpart, Hope’s Nate Burford, had the better of the pitching matchup early. He retired the first seven, and wriggled out of a bases-loaded jam in the third with a strikeout of Joey Roybal.

It was Friedman, ironically, who ignited the St. Michael’s offense in the bottom of the fourth with the Horsemen trailing 2-0.

Leading off, his high chopper to third allowed him to leg out an infield single. Sophomore Matt Smallwood followed, bashing a two-run home run to left-center to tie the game.

Burford steadily became unraveled as the inning progressed. He plunked the next batter, and a catcher’s interference call put two runners on moments later.

Burford (2-3) proceeded to walk three of the next five Horsemen, the final two free passes coming with the bases loaded, as St. Mike’s went up 5-2. The first Hope reliever, Tyler Nelson, quickly issued a four-pitch walk, and another run scored for 6-2.

“Momentum swung there, and our guys kept on doing their job, and we were able to capitalize,” Friedman said.

St. Mike’s (11-6, 4-1 in 5-3A) put up six runs in the fourth with only three hits. Hope walked four and hit another; the Huskies walked eight and hit two for the game.

“Sometimes you win those games; sometimes you lose those games,” Hope coach Sean Anthony said.

Hope scratched out two unearned runs in the seventh to cut the deficit to 7-5, but never got the potential tying run to the plate.

Keenan Dodd pitched six strong innings in the second game for Hope (16-3, 5-1). He struck out seven and avoided disaster in the sixth inning after loading the bases with nobody out in a game the Huskies led 5-1.

Anthony said he was pleased with the split.

“We played 14 innings but had one bad half inning, so I’d say we played pretty well,” Anthony said. “Coming up here and getting a split, I’d say this absolutely was a success.”

Pius, Academy split

In District 5-4A, rivals St. Pius and Albuquerque Academy took turns stunning the other Saturday. The Chargers (12-4, 4-1) scored five times in their last two at-bats to claim the opener 5-4.

St. Pius (9-8, 3-1) staged a five-run sixth to rally for a 9-7 victory in Game 2.

Journal staff writer Vince Kong contributed to this story.
— This article appeared on page D7 of the Albuquerque Journal