Klein homers, fans six as Moriarty cruises to road 21-6 win

TAOS  — Cash Klein turned in a dominant two-way performance, homering and driving in four runs while starring on the mound to lead the Moriarty Pintos to a 21-6 District 2-4A road victory over Taos on Wednesday.

The Pintos (8-7, 4-0) dismantled the Tigers’ (5-10, 2-1) pitching staff for 20 hits, scoring in every frame of the six-inning contest. The offensive explosion was capped by an eight-run barrage in the top of the sixth inning.

Klein earned the win with four innings of work, stifling the Taos bats by allowing just one run on two hits while striking out six. At the plate, the sophomore was a perfect 3-for-3, finishing a triple shy of the cycle with a double and a home run.

The Kamplain brothers provided the muscle in the middle of the order. Sophomore Micah Kamplain went 3-for-5 with a double, a triple, and two RBIs, while senior Nick Kamplain matched him with three hits, including a triple of his own.

Moriarty’s discipline led to a staggering .556 team batting average. Mario Romero and Tyler Denomme each crossed the plate three times, with Denomme recording the team’s third triple of the afternoon. Junior Wesley Francis and sophomore Trey Denomme stayed hot at the plate, combining for four hits and three RBIs.

Leadoff hitter Raiden Scribner went 2-for-5 with a pair of runs scored, while R. Thackerson added two hits and an RBI. Cooper Schnerch also contributed to the double-digit scoring total with a hit and a run batted in.

Scott Batie provided two innings of relief for the Pintos, striking out one to help close out the lopsided victory.

The Pintos’ defense overcame three errors by leaning on the massive run support and Klein’s efficiency on the mound, where he held the Tigers to a meager .133 batting average during his outing.

Moriarty gets a break before hitting the road again on April 15 for a 4 pm game against Los Alamos and a double header at Espanola Valley on April 18. It will April 25 before the Pintos return home for a doubleheader against Taos.