Hózhó Academy baseball keeps rolling, sweeps Bosque

By Lee Begaye
Special to the Times

GALLUP – The Hózhó Academy baseball team may be young, both in program and roster, but they’re making big noise in the New Mexico Class 2A division.

After completing their two-year probationary period, the Wolves are now playoff eligible for the first time and they’ve wasted no time climbing the rankings. Sitting third in the state, behind 2023 state runner-up Eunice and Santa Rosa, the Wolves are proving they’re no underdog.

In a Saturday doubleheader at home, Hózhó Academy extended its win streak to six games with a gritty 6-5 walk-off win in the opener, followed by a 9-4 victory in the second game, which was anchored by an eighth-grader pitching.

The opener ended in dramatic fashion, with junior Wyatt Piano blasting a walk-off triple to drive in two runs and securing a 6-5 win for the Wolves. It was Piano’s latest clutch moment this season.

Freshman Philip Elkins opened the scoring with a single that brought home eighth grader Epraim Otero, who had advanced on a stolen base and a throwing error. Bosque responded with a three-run second inning, but Hózhó answered quickly, retaking the lead 4-3 thanks to runs scored by freshman Trey Tafoya and eighth grade Cody Dooley on a pair of defensive miscues. Elkins added another RBI before the inning ended on a strikeout.

Bosque tied the game in the fourth on a bases-loaded pitch that clipped senior Everett Hebert, but Hózhó limited the damage, stranding three runners after freshman Keihin Kirk fielded a grounder and made the out at second.

Bosque took a 5-4 lead in the sixth, but Piano’s late-game heroics brought it back, sealing the comeback win with a shot to the outfield gap.

“We didn’t play to our standards,” said Hózhó head coach Jimmy Gonzales. “The scoreboard doesn’t show it, but we made mistakes early. Still, we battled.”

On Piano’s clutch hit, Gonzales said, “He’s been one of our most consistent hitters all year. He’s come up big before — even had a walk-off triple in Las Cruces. He leads the team in doubles and triples. He’s a junior, but he’s stepped into a leadership role.”

The second game saw eighth graders Cody Dooley and Adrian Ternes take the mound for the Wolves. Dooley pitched six strong innings, racking up nine strikeouts while allowing just four hits and four runs on 90 pitches. Ternes closed the game with a strikeout, putting the finishing touch on a 9-4 win and the team’s sixth straight victory.

Hózhó again struck early. Elkins and Kirk singled in the first, and Bosque remained quiet for most of the game as Dooley and the Wolves defense kept them in check.

Bosque made their push in the fifth, scoring four runs, including a bases-clearing single from sophomore Luca Kalishman that turned a 2-0 Wolves lead into a 4-2 deficit. A misplayed ball in right field allowed three to score.

That’s when Hózhó coach Jimmy Gonzales gathered the team and issued a challenge: “If there’s a time for your bats to come alive—it’s now.”

They listened.

Elkins started the fifth with a single. Piano followed with another, and junior Brody Brown turned on a fastball, sending it deep into right field. As the ball skidded to the fence, Brown turned on the jets and slid into home for an inside-the-park three-run homer. The Wolves reclaimed the lead, 5-4, and never looked back.

In the sixth, a mix of hit batters, a walk, and a pair of errors helped push four more runs across, extending the lead to 9-4.

Dooley struck out the final batter he faced in the top of the seventh before Ternes came in to shut the door.

“We’re on pace to do great things” Gonzales said. “Cody and Adrian are our No 2 and 3 guys. Adrian came in and threw well in both games today. For a young team, I’m really proud of the way we’re competing.”

The Wolves are sitting third in the latest coach’s state poll, and Gonzales knows eyes are starting to turn their way.

“We’re no longer under the radar,” he said. “Teams are going to bring their best against us from here on out. Scoring seven runs in two innings — that’s not a surprise. Our guys are capable. We just need to be more consistent.”

Dooley, who’s been dominant on the mound all season, shrugged off the pressure.

“I’ve been pitching since I pitched in the 13U,” he said. “I play travel ball, so I’m used to the mound. The only real difference in high school is the swing speed.”

Asked if he’s ever intimidated facing older players, Dooley smiled and said, “Not anymore. That win down at Magdalena helped a lot with that.”

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