Lupe Huerta took full blame for the his team’s loss Friday.

The Ignacio High School baseball team (5-3, 0-1 San Juan Basin League) held a 10-4 lead against Dolores (4-4, 1-0 SJBL) going into the seventh inning, but the Bears rallied to tie the game and send it into extra innings.

Dolores scored the winning run in the top of the eighth inning to secure an 11-10 victory Friday at Ignacio.

“We made a few mistakes, but the biggest mistake was mine,” said Huerta, the IHS head coach. “I left our pitcher in too long, and it cost us the game.”

Tucker Ward pitched six strong innings for the Bobcats. He recorded six strikeouts, but the Bears started to size him up better in the sixth inning.

“He did absolutely great. They started to hit him, and I didn’t pull him out in time,” Huerta said. “They had some really good hits, and then they made some great defensive plays against us, and we couldn’t score again.”

Huerta said Joseph Herrera, Anthony Manzanares, Iaasic Peña and Ward all had a great game at the plate.

“We scattered hits all through the lineup, but those guys really hit the ball well,” Huerta said.

After going 0-9 in league games a year ago, Huerta was happy to see his team prove it will be tougher to beat this season.

“I have no doubt in their ability. Our defense is excellent, and the guys are swinging the bats well,” he said.

IHS will play Nucla at 1 p.m. Tuesday at Nucla in another league contest.

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