ALAMOSA – The season came to an end for the Alamosa High School baseball season on Saturday as the Mean Moose lost to Colorado Academy 13-2 in the Class 3A Region 2 championship game at Ortega Middle School.

Earlier in the day, the Mean Moose staged a come-from-behind win over La Junta by a score of 9-8.

“It was a really good season,” said Alamosa coach Tony Kechter. “I’m proud of the boys and we made some really good strides. We’re going to definitely miss our seniors. They played a big role on that. Good leadership, good teammates and everything like that.”

Alamosa 9, La Junta 8

The Tigers got off to a good start by scoring two runs in the top of the first inning. Jeremiah Martinez drew a leadoff walk, and Anthony Torrez followed with a single. Steven Salas then drove both runners home with a double.

The Mean Moose answered with a run in their half of the first. Kade Jones walked and stole second, and he came home on Donovan Ramirez’s single.

La Junta came back with four runs in the top of the second. Martinez singled, and Torrez reached on an error. Another error on the play allowed Martinez to score.

Luke Garner walked, and Salas increased the lead to 6-1 with a three-run home run.

Alamosa scored once in the third. Michael Madril drew a two-out walk and he stole second. After Jayden Mizokami also walked, Madril scored on Gus West’s single to cut the deficit to 6-2.

The Mean Moose scored three more runs in the fourth. Evan Sowards walked and stole second, followed by Kasey Jones’ infield single. Ramirez doubled home Sowards, and Kasey Jones scored on a wild pitch to bring Alamosa within 6-4.

Madril also walked but got into a rundown between first and second. He was tagged out, but not before Kiko Ruybal, who was courtesy-running for Ramirez, scored to bring the Mean Moose within 6-5.

Alamosa took the lead with a three-run sixth. Ramirez was safe on an error, and Hayden Shawcroft walked. Madril singled home Ruybal, and after Mizokami walked, West reached on an error to score Shawcroft with the go-ahead run, and Tracen Rothermich walked to drive home Madril for an 8-6 lead.

The Tigers tied the score in the top of the seventh. Eli Stokes led off with a single and Torrez and Garner were both safe on errors. Salas struck again with a two-run single.

The Mean Moose scored the winning run in the bottom of the seventh. Kade Jones walked and stole second, and he took third on a passed ball. Kasey Jones then hit a walk-off single to drive home twin brother Kade for the 9-8 win.

This was the second time the teams met this season. They played in April in La Junta with the Tigers coming from behind and winning with a walk-off hit.

“It seems like whoever has last at-bats when we play each other is going to win that game,” Kechter said. “They did it the first time and we did it today.”

Rothermich started for Alamosa on the mound, and he allowed six runs and four hits and he struck out two and walked three. Kade Jones relieved Rothermich in the second and he took the win. He gave up two runs and seven hits with six strikeouts and two walks

The Mean Moose had seven hits and they were led by Ramirez who went 2-4 with a double and two RBIs, and Kasey Jones who went 2-5 with one RBI. Ramirez and West led in RBIs with two.

Colorado Academy 13, Alamosa 2

The Mustangs also went out to a big lead early by scoring three runs in the top of the first. Jordan Reiter and Colin Love both singled, and Reiter came home on Davis Johnson’s groundout. Frasier Smith drew a walk, and after Eli Rudy singled, Miles Evans drove home Love and Ryan Strong, who was courtesy-running for Smith.

Colorado Academy added a run in the second. Owen McCandless singled as did Reiter. Love walked to load the bases, and McCandless came home on Ben Greenberg’s groundout.

The Mustangs scored five times in the third. Smith singled, and Rudy doubled to drive home Strong who again was running for Smith. Evans was safe on an error and Rudy scored on the plat for a 6-0 advantage.

McCandless also reached on an error to drive home Evans, and Love was safe on an error. Greenberg’s single drove home McCandless, and Love scored on another error to increase the Mustangs’ lead to 9-0.

The Mean Moose averted being shut out with a run in the bottom of the third. Jace Quintana was safe on a fielder’s choice and Sowards followed with a single to send Quintana to third. Quintana scored on Kade Jones’ groundout to cut the deficit to 9-1.

Alamosa put another run on the board in the fourth. Ramirez singled and Ruybal, who again was running for Ramirez, stole second and went to third on a wild pitch. He scored on Madril’s groundout.

The Mustangs put the game away with four runs in the sixth. Greenberg reached on an error, and Smith drew a walk. Rudy singled home Gavin Hewitt, who was pinch-running for Greenberg, and Strong scored on Evans’ groundout.

Jack Cook and McCandless both walked to load the bases, and J.T. Timmers singled home Rudy, and Strong walked to drive home Cook.

The Mean Moose went down in order in the bottom of the sixth to end the game on the 10-run rule.

Madril started on the mound for Alamosa and he took the loss. He allowed nine runs and eight hits and he struck out one batter and walked two. Shawcroft finished the game and he gave up four runs and three hits and he had one strikeout and five walks.

Alamosa managed only six hits and it was led by Sowards who went 3-3.

The Mean Moose finished the season with 13 wins and eight losses. But Kechter is optimistic for the future.

“Anytime you lose four starters they’re going to be missed,” Kechter said. “But we still have some young guys coming up who are going to be helpful to us next year.”

Alamosa 9, La Junta 8

La Junta 240   000   2 – 8  11   3

Alamosa 101   303   1 – 9    7   4

Garner, Salas (5, L) and Grimsley. Rothermich, Kad. Jones (2, W) and Ramirez. HR – LJ: Salas (2nd inn., 2 on, 1 out).

Colorado Academy 11, Moffat County 4

Moffat County 200   011   0 –  4   6   2

Colorado Academy 401   060   x – 11  6   3

Squires (L), Miller (5) and Eckroth. Cook (W), McCandless (6) and Varholak.

Colorado Academy 13, Alamosa 2

Colorado Academy 315   004 – 13  11   1

Alamosa 001   100 –   2    6   7

Johnson (W) and Smith. Madril (L), Shawcroft (4) and Ramirez.