Cleveland continues to find a way, defeats La Cueva to remain unbeaten

RIO RANCHO — A buck-20, and 16-0. This, more or less — but not entirely — summarizes the 2026 Cleveland High School baseball season.

Very little is going sideways so far this season for Cleveland, which extended its perfect start Saturday afternoon, beating La Cueva 6-2 in the championship game of the Sal Puentes Tournament at Rio Rancho High.

The Storm (16-0) scored four, two-out runs in the top of the sixth to break a 2-2 tie, just moments after La Cueva had tied the game in the bottom half of the fifth with a pair of runs.

“That’s the nature of this team, when their backs are against the wall, they battle and focus and grind it out,” Cleveland coach Shane Shallenberger said. “They’re playing with a lot of confidence right now.”

A week after claiming the Albuquerque metro title, Cleveland capped off what was an equally impressive performance this weekend as the Storm topped Artesia, Rio Rancho and La Cueva to earn the giant Puentes first-place trophy.

Sophomore catcher Ben Herman broke a 0-for-15 slump Saturday with two hits and three RBIs, including a two-run, go-ahead single with two outs in the sixth from the 3 hole in the Storm lineup.

“For a while there, I was struggling,” Herman said. “Feels nice to be able to hit the ball again.”

Setting the stage in that sixth for Cleveland.

With one out, Noah Segura walked, and scooted to third on Peyton Noel’s double to left-center from the bottom spot in the order. With runners at second and third, La Cueva was compelled to intentionally walk Cleveland’s biggest bat, Anthony Del Angel, to load the bases.

Caleb Budagher followed with a line drive fly ball to right, a ball that Shallenberger felt should have been a sacrifice fly. He threw his hat to the ground when the runner at third did not tag up. Instead of a possible 3-2 lead, it was 2-2 and two out.

Herman, who had driven in the game’s first run back in the third inning, stepped in to solve the problem, hitting a hanging breaking ball (with two strikes) to right to score a pair of runs and a 4-2 lead.

Herman was matched, and then some, by senior designated hitter Francisco Hernandez, who was 3-for-4 and drove in Cleveland’s other three runs. Right after Herman made it 4-2, Hernandez lined a two-RBI double down the left-field line, plating Del Angel — who was named the tournament MVP — and Herman for a 6-2 lead.

“It was just more motivation for us,” Hernandez said of the mood of the team after the Bears tied the game. “No one wanted to lose; we came out stronger.”

Meanwhile, Cleveland pitching continues to be the dominant narrative, statistically, for the Storm.

Saturday marked the 14th time in 16 games that Cleveland pitching allowed three or fewer runs. The Storm’s team earned-run average is an almost unfathomably miniscule 1.20.

Treven Polanco, pitching a week after throwing a no-hitter against Rio Rancho in the metro final, was effective most of the way Saturday against the Bears. He yielded four hits, struck out eight and gave up just one earned run.

It wasn’t until the fifth that Cleveland, with a 2-0 lead, saw La Cueva (11-3) tie the game. Everett Burdett’s RBI single cut the deficit in half, and moments later, Damon Saavedra raced home on a wild pitch by Polanco.

Then Cleveland responded with that 4 spot in the sixth.

The Storm handed the ball to Noel to close the game out, in his first appearance on the mound this season following some arm issues, Shallenberger said. Noel pitched the final two innings. He did walk the first two batters in the seventh to create a little angst, but struck out the final three La Cueva batters – the heart of the Bears order, in fact – to secure the win.

“You know, you just have to remind yourself, no complacency,” Herman said, reflecting on how Cleveland responded. “The game’s not over, you have to fight for seven innings.”

Herman also could speak first hand about the dominance of the Storm pitching, since he’s catching them.

Sort of.

“If I could tell you,” he said with a smile, “I would. It’s a blessing to catch these guys, they’re all really talented. I don’t know what it is, but they’re doing their job and I love it.”

Cleveland turns to the start of District 1-5A play this week, opening against Cibola on Tuesday. The Bears meet Rio Grande on Tuesday, and start 2-5A action with a Saturday doubleheader against Manzano.

So in a way, it’s a reset for Cleveland in what is sure to be a brutal district with the likes of Piedra Vista, Rio Rancho, Volcano Vista and Cibola.

“They’re grinders,” Shallenberger said. “They love to play, they play hard, and they support each other.”

RIO RANCHO SOFTBALL: Alamogordo defeated Aztec 4-2 on Saturday afternoon to claim the Kristin Griego Tournament at Eagle Ridge Middle School in Rio Rancho.

The Tigers improved to 11-0 this season.

James Yodice covers prep sports for the Journal. You can reach him at jyodice@abqjournal.com or via X at @JamesDYodice.