ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico (KTSM) — Despite a four-run first inning, Centennial baseball could not take down the No. 1 seed in the playoffs, Rio Rancho, in the New Mexico high school Class 5A state championship game on Saturday.
Centennial suffered a 9-6 loss to Rio Rancho at Santa Ana Star Field. Centennial just missed out winning its second ever state title in program history.
In the first inning, Centennial came out swinging as the Hawks scored a total of four runs.
Centennial’s early four-run lead would not last long at all. When Rio Rancho came up to bat in the next half inning, the Rams shot back with four runs of their own to tie the game after one frame of play.
Rio Rancho would take a 5-4 lead in the second and extend its lead to 6-4 after four innings of play.
In the sixth inning, Centennial had a good chance to trim down Rio Rancho’s lead. The Hawks had runners on first and third with one out but couldn’t manage to get any runs on the board.
Rio Rancho would go onto pull away and play their way to a 9-6 win over Centennial to become 5A state champions.
Centennial still put together a season to be proud of. The Hawks finished the year with a 26-5 overall record and went 13-2 in District 3-5A.
