Kryptos bounce back at state; LP 10-11 in title game

The Las Vegas Kryptonite triumphed over the Moriarty Heat 11-4 on Tuesday, rebounding from a defeat in Monday’s AABC Sandy Koufax 14-and-under tournament opener.

Today at 2, the Kryptonite play the Santa Fe Storm in a must-win game, with the winner playing again at 7 p.m.; all games at at Fort Marcy in Santa Fe.

In Monday’s opener, the Las Cruces Athletics and heat-throwing Sonny Gonzales prevailed 11-2. The A’s scored four runs in each of the first and third innings to go ahead 9-1.

Nicholas Aragon and Antonio Arguello scored the lone LV runs.

On Tuesday, Girard Maestas went 3 for 4 and Aragon 2 of 3 to help power the Kryptos to a needed win, while Arguello earned the pitching decision.

Las Vegas started the game with three runs when Aragon, Arguello and Corey Archibeque scored. Maestas tripled to start the second inning and scored on a double by Dominic Yara as Vegas took a 4-0 lead.

Luke Aragon, Curtis Lucero, Maestas and Yara also scored, and an Estevan Montoya double plated Diego Montoya and Isaac Lopez to make it 10-4 in the fourth.

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La Plaza’s 10-11 All-Star baseball squad was to play tourney host Raton in the District 4 championship at 11 a.m. today after defeating Taos 10-6 on Tuesday.

Andy Gabaldon smashed a two-run homer — “It cleared the cars and everything,” team manager Ryan Gabaldon said — and Mike Ortiz belted an in-park grand slam to light La Plaza’s offensive fireworks.

Jose Juan Montao was the winning pitcher.

Gabaldon said his team made two solid double plays. “Mike caught a line drive to second base (to start one double play); that’s what started everything.”

La Plaza must defeat Raton twice in order to claim the trophy in the double-elimination affair.

The Vegas crew lost 7-5 to Raton in the opener, then fought its way out of the loser’s bracket to set up Tuesday’s game.