Rio Rancho, a tournament newcomer, will get to hold it for 12 months after the fourth-seeded Rams pounded No. 3 seed La Cueva 11-4 on a bracingly cold and windy Saturday at La Cueva.

“We’re a lot closer this year,” Rio Rancho left fielder Grant Templin said after driving in three runs on three separate at-bats. “We found out what it is to be a team. Last year we were cliques. Three guys here; three guys there. This year, everyone has each other’s back.”

The Rams (now a 5A-leading 11-1) did most of their damage in an extended seven-run, 30-minute top of the fifth.

Rio Rancho’s Evan Offutt had a two-run double in the fifth inning of the APS Metro Baseball Championship game against La Cueva on Saturday. (GREG SORBER/JOURNAL)

Rio Rancho sent 12 batters to the plate against three La Cueva pitchers.

Five of the 12 batters reached by hit, including Zak Felix, who had an RBI double and RBI single in the inning, Evan Offutt with a two-run double and Brendan Wanchek on an RBI single.

“They’re going up there aggressive right now, and they’re very confident,” Rio Rancho coach Ron Murphy said. “Those two things are a good mix.”

The Bears (5-2) also walked four batters in the top of the fifth, including one (Templin) with the bases loaded.

What was a 3-2 lead starting the fifth became a 10-2 blowout.

“We’re hitting the crap out of the ball,” Templin said.

Rio Rancho starter Wyatt Kelley, coming off a complete game win over Rio Grande in the quarterfinals Tuesday, didn’t stay in the game long, but that was always the plan.

Reliever Eli Cappello went the final 5â…” innings to earn the victory. He gave up two runs on four hits in that span.

“I think we’re solid, and I think we can go a long way with this team,” said Rams senior shortstop Felix, who was 3-for-4 Saturday with a double, triple and two RBIs.

He batted leadoff. The player behind him, sophomore newcomer Eddie Vasquez, also went 3-for-4. He was plotted as a JV player, but because of injury earned a starting job in Rio Rancho’s season-opening tournament in El Paso. He also started two double plays Saturday from second base.

“I thought I was just gonna courtesy run and help the team out,” Vasquez said. “I thought I was gonna be JV.”

The Rams and Bears could meet up again next week in Rio Rancho’s Sal Puentes Invitational, which begins Thursday. Defending Class 5A state champion Carlsbad is also in the field. The Rams have won eight consecutive games.

Austin Bell was 3-for-4 with an RBI to lead La Cueva’s offense. Caleb McAlister (1-1) was the starter and loser for the Bears, whose five-game winning streak was snapped after an opening loss to Valley.

Rio Rancho led early 1-0. La Cueva scored two in the bottom of the first, with RBIs from Connor Calvert and Bell. The Rams went ahead 3-2 in the third. Vasquez popped up in the infield with two outs, but it became a wind-blown double — the ball landed just 15 feet from home plate — to score one run. Templin had the go-ahead hit, an RBI single two batters later.

— This article appeared on page D7 of the Albuquerque Journal