Pupfish Hold Off Blizzard 10-8

June 8 2013 The White Sands Pupfish defeated the Taos Blizzard 10-8 at Aquarium after building an early lead and holding off a Taos rally. White Sands totaled 17 hits and scored in five consecutive innings from the second through the fifth before adding an insurance run in the seventh. Taos finished with 11 hits and committed two errors.

George Ban powered the Pupfish offense with two home runs and six RBI, while Jerry Gonzales went 4-for-5 with three runs, one RBI and one walk. Christian Ramirez added three hits and one RBI, and Ernie Munoz contributed two hits and two RBI. White Sands led 7-2 after four innings and extended the advantage to 9-4 after five before Taos scored four times in the sixth to pull within one run.

Taos received three hits and two RBI from Kyle Richardson, who also recorded two doubles and a triple. Calvin Culver hit a home run and drove in three runs, while Luis Gonzalez added two RBI as a pinch-hitter. The Blizzard's four-run sixth inning brought the score to 9-8, but White Sands answered with a run in the seventh and kept Taos off the board over the final three innings.

Chris Peacock earned the win for White Sands, allowing nine hits and eight runs, all earned, in 5.2 innings while striking out five and walking three. Chad Hadzinsky, Nick Alexander, Justin Mauldin and Ernesto Zaragaza combined for 3.1 scoreless innings of relief. Elliot Van Gaver took the loss for Taos after allowing nine hits and seven runs, six earned, in 3.1 innings.