Dorantes, Spartans stay alive in hunt for baseball playoffs

Centennial’s Casey Moses had Kevin Dorantes’ number Monday, hitting a double and a solo home run off the Cimarron-Memorial starter.

But that was about all the junior right-hander gave up.

Dorantes allowed four hits in six innings to help the Spartans (14-8, 6-6 Northwest League) to a 4-1 home victory over Centennial to keep Cimarron’s playoff hopes alive.

Dorantes gave up the homer to Moses with two outs in the top of the first but shut down the Bulldogs (15-12, 7-5) the rest of the way.

“He got down 2-0 to Moses, and good hitters are going to hammer mistakes,” Spartans coach Mike Hubel said. “But he settled down and threw well the rest of the game. To give up (four) hits to that team, that’s pretty good.”

Dorantes didn’t overpower Centennial, finishing with just three strikeouts. But he managed to stay out of trouble after Moses’ home run.

“He got me; that’s all I thought of,” Dorantes said. “After that I tried to focus on not giving them anything else.”

Dorantes came through with the bat, as well, doubling home two runs in the fourth to break a 1-1 tie.

“I was thinking fastball all the way,” Dorantes said. “I saw it and just got the bat through.”

Nathan Hale led off the fourth with a double off Bulldogs ace Michael Wagner. James Carraway then bunted down the third-base line, and the throw to first pulled the first baseman off the bag, putting runners at the corners.

After Carraway stole second, Dorantes crushed a ball over the center fielder’s head for a double and a 3-1 lead.
Hale added an RBI single in the fifth to provide Dorantes with an insurance run.

Wagner allowed four hits and struck out nine.

Cimarron is a game behind Centennial for the Northwest’s final playoff spot with four games to play.

“We’ve got to keep working,” Dorantes said. “I really do believe in this team that we’re capable of doing anything we want.”